


Captivity

by Korazan



Category: MaLu - Fandom, MarcoxLuffy - Fandom, One Piece, SmoAce - Fandom, SmokerxAce
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 17:09:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 39,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15369312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Korazan/pseuds/Korazan
Summary: [COMPLETE] Luffy wanted to play a game. A game of lives. A game of pirates and marines. A game of deception. A game in which... He had to play the captive. But. Not everything can go the way he wants them to. [MaLu]





	1. 01 – Game

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own One Piece or its characters.  
> Enjoy!

“Take this to the Commodore.”

“Yes, sir.”

The brown-haired marine scrambled outside the office, making some smoke dance in the room. With a sigh, he opened the window and waited, fingers interlaced under his chin. The two still lit cigars were drawing lines of white smoke that curled high in the ceiling and dispersed with the welcomed wind of the humid afternoon.

The Rear Admiral could feel _his_ haki. By then, he could even miles away. Useless denying it. Sure, at first, he had hated dearly the happy-go-lucky boy and his antics. Pranks in the bases he visited, pranks against his own crew members, messes in bars and restaurants because _he doesn’t pay what he eats_. He could go on and on and on. He was more like a pirate than a marine, sometimes. Smoker had really hated him for a long time… Long, unforgettable years. But…

How could he hate someone that _made_ people hate him? Strange, indeed. Smoker had discovered it years after knowing the boy, that, at that time, had been under Garp’s wing and training. The then Captain had wondered how on earth could a boy like that endure it, but, with the growing hate, Smoker had let the subject go away from his mind with a hissing _‘he deserves it’_. Useless, because the boy was a bundle of endless energy, even if he was being trained by a demon.

It had happened on the field. Smoker had been barking orders while fighting off some rookies when Luffy had made his appearance. The cocky grin, the glinting dark eyes, the amused expression. It had been the same he remembered, the same Smoker had always hated, but different at the same time. Feral, hungry and unstoppable. Desire to fight and destroy and win. As if he had discarded the mask of a prankster boy and wore the one of a fierce fighter. Of a merciless marine.

And then, when the pirates were all dealt with, the mask was already back and the cheeky brat was messing with him again, making messes and pranks. Endearing and utterly annoying. But, after that, Smoker had deemed the boy worth a chance.

Smoker had baited Luffy.

It had worked.

Well, not exactly.

Luffy had seen through it. And made Smoker _think_ he had fallen for it.

The scoundrel.

The door barged open and he held high a hand to stop the expected hug. However, he hadn’t seen Luffy circle the desk and tackle him from the back. They ended up sprawled on the floor, with Luffy laughing loudly on his back and Smoker huffing and groaning.

“Smokey!”

“Shut. Up.”

“Awwww, you’re so gloomy!”

“Piss off.”

Smoker ignored the continuous chuckles and stood up, making the other slid to the floor and looking around. Documents, previously neatly disposed on his desk, were scattered on the floor. His paperwork… His beloved, already signed and checked reports…

A vein ticked on his forehead. He closed his eyes, massaging his temples, and took a deep, smoky, calming breath. Burnt. What was burning? His cigars, obviously. Two. No, wait, he had only one between his lips…

Shit.

Smoker opened his eyes and looked at the small fire erupted on his documents. Before he could react, a splash of water was on the flames, that died. The empty vase of flowers, courtesy of Tashigi, was held high on the wet cigar and black papers. The hand gripping the white porcelain put it on the near desk and the boy stood, grinning cockily at him. Black messy hair, a bit longer than the usual, were framing equally dark, glinting eyes. His grin stretched, Smoker knew what was coming next…

“Smokey, you just burnt your documents.”

Yes. Because. No one, _no one_ just tackled him from behind.

“Loooook, Tashigi will throw a fit.”

Obviously. He could almost already hear the scold. He gritted his teeth, almost biting his tongue.

“Didn’t picture you as the clumsy one.”

He. Was. Clumsy. In another universe.

“No worry, no worry.”

… no… worry…

Some veins popped. “You–”

“I’m sorry.”

Smoker almost spluttered, blinking. Was that a serious frown? Was he daydreaming? And, noticing it, why was the straw hat hanging down on his back?

“I’m sorry, but I have no time.”

Luffy. Serious. No time for pranks. Yeah, a beautiful dream.

“Smoker.”

He straightened, gazing over the tense muscle of the Rear Admiral in front of him. What the hell… He had never used _that tone_ before. He seriously reminded Smoker of those stuck up Admirals.

Luffy sighed. “Listen…” He started gathering the papers all over the floor, slowly. “I have bad news.”

Well. It must be _really_ bad. Smoker sighed and sat, brushing a hand in his hair.

“Let the papers be, what’s the problem?”

Luffy stood, positioning the few documents he had gathered on the desk, neatly. He sat on the chair opposite Smoker and sighed soundly, looking at his right. He put his elbows on the armrests and interlaced his fingers under his chin. The smoker was perplexed. He had never seen his colleague like that.

“I’m here because I know…” He started, looking straight into Smoker’s eyes “… I can trust you.”

Smoker gaped. “Wha…”

“The situation is dire.” Luffy interrupted him. “I have no time to play around it. I will, but because I need to.” He sighed. “Just hear me out for a bit.” Smoker slowly nodded, lips still slightly parted. “What do you know about a pirate by the name of Marshall D Teach?”

Smoker blinked. “Isn’t that fella in Whitebeard’s crew?”

Luffy nodded, hands falling limp on his knees. The grey-haired man arched a brow.

“You should know that, you’re always keeping tracks of the old man…”

That brought forth the question about the reason why, but Smoker had kept his mouth shut every time the subject surfaced. Something about instinct and the silent respect he had grown for the boy.

Again, a nod. “I appreciate the fact that you haven’t ever asked me why, I’d have hated to lie. But… Now I need a helpful hand, so I’ll tell you.” Determination shone in his eyes. “I have a brother.”

…

Great.

Shit.

What?!

“Not blood-related, don’t panic.” Luffy smirked.

“You just had to add that as an after-thought, right?” The smirk widened. “Brat.”

“The obvious fear of my gramps’ blood running wild in the world is a never-ending amusement’s source.”

The smart-ass… “That aside?” Breath, take a deep breath.

Luffy’s lips stretched into a thin line. “What I’m about to say is known only by me in the Marine Corp., Smoker. And I want it to stay that way as long as possible.”

“I… understand.” Smoker hesitated a bit.

Luffy nodded. “Teach has betrayed Whitebeard.”

In a normal situation, as in with proper behaving marines and in a meeting, Smoker would have assumed a grave expression. But, Luffy, the normally bouncing around brat that always kept pranking _everyone_ , telling him that someone had _betrayed_ a Yonko. He gaped.

“How do you…”

“Doesn’t matter at the moment.” When had his eyes become so cold? “He has stabbed the 4th Division Commander to take a Devil Fruit and fled. Yesterday night.”

Silence fell. Smoker thought he was about to go on, but Luffy was looking at the floor, obviously thinking about something. And the grey-haired man was fed up with the strange behaviour. It was unsettling, unusual and it was ticking him off. Strangely. Because he would have killed someone to see this side of the man some years ago. Now, though… He wanted the _brat_ back. And, hell, wasn’t it funny?

So, Smoker tried to think for himself. Luffy said he has a brother and that he had been keeping tracks of the pirates’ crew because of him. This brother then was bound to be in said crew.

“What does that entails for your brother?”

Luffy’s gaze shot up to Smoker, that held back a flinch of surprise. “Knowing him, he will go after Teach.”

The man arched a brow. “Why would he do something like that?” Nope, he didn’t think ‘stupid’.

“Because he is the Commander of the Division Teach was in.”

Smoker’s brain shut with a buzz.

Teach’s Division. Second Division. Commander. Fire-fist Ace. … Shit.

“I know it’s quite a shock, but I do not need to tell you that the notion is strictly guarded.”

The smoker swallowed and closed his eyes, brushing left thumb and index on them. Luffy was clearly trusting him here, with strongly dangerous information. Plus… Ace… Why was he telling him all of this? Why asking help from him? Did he know…

The man opened his eyes to be met with a knowing smirk. Luffy tilted his head, eyes glinting.

“Of course. He’s my brother, I know _everything_.”

Smoker couldn’t hide the shiver this time. He looked at him with wide eyes, processing what Luffy had just hinted at. The man, for a blinking instant, wanted to flee.

“You…”

“I’ve known for a long time. But it’s not my place to divulge such a thing.” Luffy smirked. “Anyway… You should know how reckless he is, and I have a hunch of what’s going to happen next.”

Smoker nodded, appreciating the change of subject. “Go on.”

“Teach, I heard he likes to address himself as Blackbeard now, wants power. What can he possibly achieve as a pirate?”

“Becoming a Shichibukai.”

Luffy huffed. “Right. Let’s summarize. Teach, under the Second Division Commander’s supervision, has betrayed Whitebeard, stabbing the Fourth Division Commander. Knowing Ace, he is going after him. Blackbeard knows Ace, too. What do you think the pirate will do?”

Smoker gaped. “He will try to capture fire-fist?”

“He will not try, he will capture him. Do not underestimate him, Smoker.” Luffy’s eyes darkened.

“Okay, fine, but… The World Government won’t accept _just_ a pirate in exchange of a position among the Shichibukai.” He countered.

The air around the boy darkened even more. “Yet again, it’s not my place to say why. But, know this: they will, gladly.”

Smoker combed a hand through his hair. First this brat comes and brings mess in his office, then becomes all serious and talks about some… planning of an arising pirate, saying that he is after the fire-brat. He felt frustrated and out-of-control. In his own base.

He sighed. “What then?”

Luffy’s smirk faded. “I have a plan.” He looked at his right. “I don’t want to see my brother on a scaffold, ready to be killed. I have a plan, but I need some help, and my crew must stay aside... preferably hidden.”

The grey-haired man mentally snorted. “What’s this plan?” Because the man _clearly_ didn’t want to just go and save his brother.

The sneaky smirk came back to life. “Playing the captive.”

Smoker didn’t want anything more than having _nothing_ to do with this shit.

 

Boney T Pentecost was a tough, muscular man with long, one-braided, black hair and long, braided, black moustache with white tips. He wore a long-sleeved, blue blouse with golden buttons and black trousers with golden trims. He always walked bare-footed and had calloused hands. His blue eyes were framed by loose strands and black, thick eyebrows. He was 32 years old, a new fish in the big, overpopulated ponds of pirates.

He had a crew of around twenty men. Not the most trustable ones, but they were good workers, almost all were taken in in Paradise. Some were always drunk, some were too loud, some were womanizers, some really stupid. But, out of them all, one kept driving him crazy.

On the last island they docked at, a raven-haired man wearing a red open shirt and black, tight pants joined them. His name was Colin. Since joining, he had pranked the whole ship with glued clothes, tobacco-ed food and hidden navigation charts. There were no proofs that it had really been him, of all the members, but Pentecost _knew_ it was him. He saw the sin in his glinting eyes and mocking smirks.

Aside from the beginning of the strange things coinciding with the brat joining, there were no clues pointing to him. And the crew was starting to think that the ship was haunted, or cursed. Bunch of idiots. As if.

Anyway, he didn’t have much time to investigate properly. And the crew needed some pastime. It was two months after the brat joined, on a day full of bedsheets flying over the ship in strange shapes, that the news coo brought the newspaper. In big, large characters, it was announced how Whitebeard had been betrayed by a crewmember. Pentecost felt a smirk grow on his lips.

Whitebeard. An old man awaiting his downfall. Betrayed, the worst feeling of all for one of such age, of such pride. Few words were flying through the head of the pirate, reading rapidly the article.

This was his chance. A golden opportunity to rise to new heights. What was better for one’s reputation than to defeat a Yonko? Nothing, not even getting rid of a Shichibukai. That was the new trend, it seemed, for marines. He had heard of one who was defeating one after the other, but he didn’t remember the name.

No, defeating an old Yonko. That was the stepping stone he needed. Moreover, a betrayal signalled something fucked up in their crew. Who knew if there were more, honestly? Not considering there were surely more pirates out there thinking exactly like him.

It was then or never.

He folded the newspaper and looked around on the ship. Chaos. Why the fuck were the bedsheets resembling a woman now?! And… Was that Colin laughing like mad at the yelling, scared shitless crewmembers? Pentecost groaned. Blinked. Then looked up again. And smirked.

He had a proof. He could put the scoundrel in jail. This day couldn’t have gone better.

 

Tracking the Moby Dick had not been an easy feat.

First, Pentecost had jailed Colin, and it had been hellish. The boy was _slippery_ and sneaky, always some steps ahead or _up_. He had the suspicious feeling that the boy _wanted_ to be captured, when they finally caught him. Yeah, they. He had had to use _every single one_ of his crewmembers. It had been an overly tiring day.

With that taken care of, and stray thoughts on the strange man aside, Pentecost had used every piece of information he could put his hands on, plus some from the daily newspaper. It had taken them almost a month to find Whitebeard. Three weeks in which the pranks went on.

Even if the brat was jailed, Pentecost kept finding his things misplaced. Most of the times, it was his binocular and the charts. Once, he found his room’s furniture painted white. He had made a dash to the jail and found the brat sleeping with a happy grin on his face. He was starting to believe the haunted thing, but, maybe, it was the brat that had brought the curse onboard.

Ignoring the skull on his flag painted red – it had been originally _yellow_ , damn it! –, Pentecost looked at the dozen ships surrounding the Moby Dick. He smirked. He’d been right. They were nearing the ship together, as if it was planned. The braided man knew it was going to be hell when the ships collided.

But that never happened.


	2. 02 – The Beginning

Marco groaned, stepping on the ship he had chosen to sink. Ha had liked the red skull. The dark brown wood creaked under the pressure. All the crewmembers were out cold thanks to his blows and the Captain was the only one still standing. He had a long, raven braid swinging on his back, and two more as moustache. Quite stylish, but he wasn’t in for jokes.

On the opposite, he was still dearly angry and in search of a good fight to blow off at least some of his anger. With a jump, Marco evaded a kick at his middle and head-butted the pirate, sending him on the floor. Useless. No one here could give him some decent quality fight.

He groaned again when he saw the Captain had fainted because of an unintentional wave of Haki. Marco closed his eyes, sighing. He couldn’t lose his cool like that. But, hell. Thatch was still comatose in the infirmary and Ace was still out Devil knew where. And he hadn’t sent a report in _forever_.

Well, not exactly, the last one had been a week prior. But, in his book, a week was _too much_. Over-protective mother-hen as he may seem, he didn’t care. He opened his eyes and surveyed the deck. Clear.

Marco went inside. He was still a pirate. One that managed to run his Division neatly, with paperwork done and never going over budget. For that, he needed founding. Who better than pirates stupid enough to think they were _weak because of a betrayal_. Bunch of idiots.

He found the Captain’s room. White furniture? No, wait, it was painted. Strange. He shrugged it off his mind and searched for money and treasures. There was not too much, but better than nothing. He took a black bag from the wardrobe and filled it, throwing it on his shoulder.

Marco was about to go out when he heard the distinct sound of a snore. Not too loud, not too silent. He arched a brow and went downstairs, where were the prisons. He looked around, empty. He circled the stairs and found the source. A man, that gave off the aura of a younger one, with raven, messy hair was sprawled on the wooden floor, sleeping like no one’s business. He had a dark red unbuttoned shirt and black tight pants, bare-footed. There was a scar under the boy’s left eye.

The pirate crossed his arms, unsure of what to do. First of all, why was he in the prison? Was he a captive? Or someone that broke some law onboard? Uhm… That was not the sleep you get from fainting. But he couldn’t know for sure.

He decided to wake him up. Starting with a cough. It didn’t work. He tried hitting the bars. Only a shuffling. He groaned.

“Yoi.” The boy turned his back on him. “Pirate?” He kicked the wall. “Wake up.” Turned towards Marco. “Time for dinner?” He had run out of quiet options.

He was about to destroy the bars and punch the man. But that sentence surprisingly worked. The raven-haired’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing black, bottomless orbs. Marco blinked, being suddenly at the receiving end of a studying gaze. He felt rooted to the spot, open and unguarded.

And then, the boy grinned happily. As if not possessing the strong will he just showed. He stood, dusting off the tight pants and regarding Marco with an arched brow and amused eyes.

“Hey there! What’s up?”

Marco almost gag-fell. “Who are you, yoi?”

“I’m a pirate!”

That much he could have understood on his own… Now, though, he knew the lad was in prison for something he had done.

“Why are you here?”

The other laughed, as if not bothered at all by the bars surrounding him. “I made the Captain angry. Too many pranks. Shishishi.”

Oh, dear God… A prankster. Marvellous. Though, what to do with him? Marco couldn’t deny this one seemed a bit interesting, at least. Was that gaze just an illusion? No, he was not stupid enough to misunderstand something like that.

He needed a second point of view.

Marco swiftly bended the bars as if they were made of butter, making quick use of his Haki. Observing the man with a passing glance, he took notice of interested eyes and smug grin. Strange.

“You come with me, yoi.”

The pirate shrugged his shoulders and hopped over the bars, holding up a hand as if to say: ‘make way’. Too complacent, in Marco’s opinion. But he obliged, ignoring his irritation. Maybe, after having that second opinion, he could have used the man as a punching bag, who knew…

He climbed the stairs, wary of the one that closely followed behind, and walked on deck. The pirates were still out cold, Captain included. He observed again the man… Frankly, maybe ‘boy’ suited him better… Heck, what was his name? He was simply looking around, almost pouting.

“Pity, I liked them. Funny to prank.”

Oh, geez… “What’s your name, yoi?”

“Colin.” He grinned.

No last name? Whatever. Marco looked at the Moby Dick, that was taking Izo from the nearby ship. He was next but had to wait for a bit. Meanwhile, Marco moved his gaze again on the boy. Colin, as he claimed to be, was walking among the various unconscious bodies with a frown. The First Division Commander didn’t know what to think about it. Was he angry at him for beating them? Or was he frowning at how weak they were? Maybe he was a new recruit that expected more from them… He could remember the Captain faintly from some news. Had he daydreamed about stronger pirates as nakamas? Could be… But… It felt off as a hypothesis.

Marco sighed, calling forth some flames and sending a pillar through the ship. A tremor after, he heard wood creak and water started flowing in. Colin looked at him with an arched brow, then shrugged and gazed at the nearing Moby Dick. Without warning, Marco approached him, circled his waist, taking him like a sack of rice, and jumped on his Captain’s ship. Colin just sent him a questioning gaze, but nothing more.

Marco let him go and noticed that almost everyone was gone, back to their assignments. Only Whitebeard and Izo were still on deck. They looked up at him and their gaze shifted instantly to the boy.

“This way, yoi.”

He made sure the grinning boy followed and walked up to his Captain. Izo was looking at him with a confused and interested expression, while Oyaji was curious and smirking.

“I found him in the jails.” He explained.

Verbally. With his body, though, he conveyed something else. His uncertainty with a shrug, his desire of an opinion with a glance towards Colin, his interest with an eye-roll. Because his Captain had already caught on that.

“Gurarara…” Whitebeard thundered, regarding Colin.

That, unsettlingly for Marco, was studying him through fully. Had he noticed the interactions? He didn’t have time to make sure, the boy quickly looked back at the Captain.

“Hey there!” He grinned.

Newgate smirked, exchanging a long glance with Colin. When the smirk widened, Marco felt victorious.

“Interesting, brat. Who are you?”

“I’m Colin.”

“The truth, brat.”

“Can’t say, that would ruin the fun.” Was that a whine?

“What fun?” Izo asked, bewildered.

“Mine, of course.”

Marco scoffed. Earning Colin’s attention. The boy huffed and crossed his arms, almost pouting.

“What?”

“Stop pretending, yoi.”

Colin tilted his head. “Pretending?” He made a face, as if the word had left a bad taste on his tongue.

Marco snorted, waving a hand towards the boy. “Exactly. That’s a façade, yoi. Stop pretending to be stupid.” Instinct. Pure, simple instinct was making him act like that.

Izo blinked at him, Whitebeard looked amused. Colin seemed a little frozen. His eyes were narrowed, dark and ominous. His lips a thin line. His posture tense. Marco met the scrutinizing gaze, unwavering. As before, he could only see darkness, an endless nothing. No emotions, no thoughts, no feelings. As if he was made of metal, or of wood. If it wasn’t for his body language, Marco would have though he was a robot. This one screamed hellish training, steel will-power and dangerous secrets.

“Who are you?” He asked.

Colin didn’t answer, he just kept observing Marco. Izo was fidgeting. Whitebeard was smirking like a boy at an amusement park.

…

Wait.

Izo… Fidgeting?

Marco broke the eye-contact and looked over at his brother. Izo was observing the boy from head to toe with dreamy eyes and a pink dust on his cheeks. The Phoenix blinked. Twice.

He had never seen his brother _fidgeting_. Nervous, maybe. Scared, for his family. Excited, for a fight. Not like that, _never_. It was as if… he was seeing a ghost… No, more like a star…

Colin followed his gaze and tilted his head in confusion. The Captain arched a brow at his cross-dresser son and the smirk lost some amusement.

“What’s the matter?”

Izo flinched and looked at Whitebeard, then back at Colin, and swallowed. “I know who he is.”

Marco’s eyes widened. “What?”

The other glanced once at him and nodded. “He… Pops, do you remember our conversation after… After Teach?”

Whitebeard thought for a moment, before nodding slowly. “You mean he is that fella?”

Izo nodded again, blush darkening some shades. The old man regarded Colin with a totally new light in his eyes. He seemed more interested than ever.

“And why was a Rear Admiral of your calibre aboard a no name’s pirate ship?”

Marco almost spluttered. _WHAT?!_ A _Rear Admiral_?! He looked at the tenser boy with a surprised arched brow. Thank God, he had not sunk him with the ship… Still, pops’ question seemed legit.

Colin’s smirk spoke of amusement… and something else he couldn’t place. “A mission is a mission.”

“You’re not the type that follows rules blindly.” Izo countered.

The boy arched an inquisitive brow. “Am I now?”

Izo shivered and hid slightly behind pops’ leg. Marco felt fed up.

“Can I be informed of what’s going on, yoi?”

He’d been already angry on his own, searching for venting ways. And then, his brother and father were plotting and talking about who knew who. Ok, he was exaggerating, but hell!

“He is Monkey D Luffy, Rear Admiral and Garp’s grandson.” Izo offered.

Well. Shit. Thank every Deity upon them, he had _not_ sunk the boy with the ship. Marco looked over at the _marine_ and found that he was already observing him. Instead of nothing, he recognized curiosity and amusement glinting deeply in the black orbs. He countered those with a wall carefully built over his mind and a defence of mild interest. Marco could feel the wall being tested and pushed, but it resisted.

“Back to the main point…” Whitebeard wisely interrupted their exchange. “Surely a mission like that could have been seen by another marine, lower in the chain ladder.”

Luffy frowned before locking gazes with the Yonko. He positioned his right hand on his hip and smirked, changing behaviour altogether. What was the problem with this one?

“It was an interesting one. I had fun pranking them all.”

Whitebeard blinked and Izo frowned. Marco wanted to groan. He was the one who always had to clean up after pranksters’ messes. The other’s reactions, on the other hand… Spoke about longing and nostalgia. With Thatch in the infirmary, the usually jovial and playful atmosphere was lost and forgotten. Many, the ones that backed the cook or enjoyed the unfolding, were obviously moping around and the air was becoming heavier by the day. Not counting that even Ace was gone, who knew where at the moment, and that was another blow to the crew. They _had_ suffered a betrayal, after all.

True, they were not _weak_ because of it, but they were _suffering_. Undeniable. His pops most of all, maybe. Well, the risks came with having a wide crew, still… One could expect respect for a Yonko, the man that always treated everyone as sons and daughters.

Marco shrugged off the stray thoughts. “What to do, pops?”

Whitebeard hummed as Luffy looked at him, tilting his head and grinning like he’d just been given a new toy. Honestly, it almost seemed as if he _wanted_ to be right there, in front of a Yonko that was trying to assess him. Unsettling.

“We can’t just push him overboard and expect no consequences.” Izo looked expectantly at his Captain. “But we can’t trust a marine, worse if he is a Rear Admiral.” He deflated. “What do you say, Marco?”

The First Division Commander sighed. He knew this was going to become his problem. Well, it _was_ him that brought the boy onboard. But he didn’t know he was a marine! Nor could he have known he was Monkey D Luffy, of all people…

“We’ll just leave him on the next island, yoi.”

Whitebeard nodded and Izo brightened. Oh, right… How could he have forgotten… The cross-dresser had a fan thing about this marine. He brushed a hand on his eyes, sighing. What were the chances of someone like him landing on their ship?

…

Wait.

It couldn’t… have been orchestrated, right?

His hand slid on his mouth and his eyes locked onto Luffy’s ones. He was grinning, as if the toy he’d been given was the funniest in the whole world. As if he had wanted right that toy all the time.

Marco smelled something fishy. But kept his mouth shut. If there really was something, then saying he was suspicious may make the man even more closed. No, he needed to thread carefully. If the boy had been _sent_ to them, then he was not someone to underestimate, aside the title of Rear Admiral.

He moved his gaze over Whitebeard. The glinting in his eyes told Marco that his pops was on the same line of thought. He scoffed. Another messy problem, indeed.

Izo cleared his throat, not hiding behind the leg anymore, but gripping the pants tightly. “Where will he stay?”

_Oh, gosh… Please, no…_

“Gurarararara… With Marco, of course.” Whitebeard winked with a smirk. “Your cabin is the only one with enough space.”

Luffy assumed an unbelieving expression. “A cabin? Not a cell?”

The Captain snorted. “We’re civilized here. There’s no need of a cell for a marine. We outnumber you and Marco is enough.”

The boy scoffed. “I’d be an idiot, trying to oppose you and your family.” He then smirked. “Pranks are not included, though.”

The Phoenix groaned, hand still over his mouth, and rolled his eyes. “Great, yoi…”

Izo seemed all too pleased. Whitebeard too amused. Luffy entertained.

Shit.


	3. 03 – Discoveries

Excitement.

Nervousness.

Fear.

It was a mix, really.

Izo couldn’t quite explain the vortex of feelings that overwhelmed his mind as he watched Marco lead _Monkey D Luffy_ towards his cabin. It almost felt too surreal and impossible for the boy to be right in front of his eyes.

How did his interest begin? Oh, right, the little article about a marine standing on the scaffold of Gol D Roger as if it was his own, sightseeing and giggling in the photo. Izo was used to carefully read every little word of the newspaper, the boy could have not been missed by his gaze. But it was fleeting, a flicker of interest, dead when he went on reading the article. The then boy, his name had been omitted, had gone down at the call of a colleague. If he remembered correctly, it had been Smoker…

After few days, Izo had already put the info somewhere in the back of his mind. It came on the surface some months later. The news had been about the dethrone of a madman in the Kingdom of Drum. He couldn’t remember the idiot’s name, but the _ways_ Monkey D Luffy, the name was repeated a lot in the article, acted were… Unorthodox. For a marine, anyway. That time, his interest had been too much and Izo had cut off the article and filed it for later use. Who knew, if it would have been useful in the future…

It did. Some weeks later, it happened again. Another kingdom, worn out because of a civil war, had been saved from the wicked hands of a then Shichibukai, Crocodile. Again, Monkey D Luffy had been behind the act of valour, but in strange ways… Who on earth would have _ditched_ Smoker, a colleague, to run like a mad bull against a Shichibukai? Without actual proofs that he was behind everything?

Of course, Izo had _not_ found the details in the newspaper. Not in the common one, anyway… He’d wanted to know the full story and casually found a journal that was sold by the black market. The system was the same, a news crow landed on the Moby Dick weekly to deliver it. Apparently, someone in the staff was really into the marine, because it was the more detailed one.

From then on, instead of waiting news about the boy from the legal newspaper, he had everything he could have wanted from the illegal one. From likes and dislikes to the latest promotions and friends. Izo ended up as a _huge_ fan.

He knew every single crew member, the fact that they were not marines, their publicly known backstories, time and reason of Luffy’s promotions, visited islands, routes… And still, there were things he didn’t know. Obviously. Like, the reason why that straw hat was the boy’s treasure, why said straw hat seemed so familiar, his devil fruit, if he had one, where exactly the ship was every day and minute… Yeah, he _wanted_ to become something like a stalker.

So, imagine his inner turmoil in having the real deal, body and bones, on the Moby Dick.

Izo was panicky.

Fidgety.

And embarrassed.

Explosive combination.

_If_ Thatch wouldn’t have been comatose.

Frankly, he couldn’t really express everything he would have in a different situation. Like… Asking an autograph or… Asking details of his adventures or… A full interview, damn it!

But, instead, he couldn’t. He was too worried to be carried away. And his Captain noticed that. As always.

“Thatch is going to be okay, son.” Whitebeard smiled warmly at him. “Don’t worry too much, that’s my duty.”

A light laughter filled the air. Izo smiled back and nodded, still sadly. As much as he being a fan mattered, there were things that were at a completely different level of importance. Like… his secret crush.

Secret as in ‘nobody knows except Captain and first-mate’. They were too perceptive to miss the light blushes. Seriously, one was a father and the other was a mother-hen. Izo scoffed. Secret… He may have as well told Thatch, given the situation…

A light pat on his head brought him down from cloud ‘two thousand worries’. Izo looked dejectedly and guiltily at his father and shrugged.

“Okay, I will not sulk. And you will not drink.”

Whitebeard made a face. A mix between a snort and a longing expression. Well, for once, the nurses didn’t need to worry.

 

Marco brushed a hand on his face, walking through the wooden corridors of the Moby Dick. Holding back a sigh, he glanced back at the man following him. The pirate felt unsure about him. Something just… didn’t add up.

The more he thought about it, the more Marco was sure that this was not a coincidence. How could it be? A Rear Admiral like him _happens_ to board Moby Dick. No, absolutely no. Marines were people that had a stick up their asses, but not so stupid or disorganized. There was a plan here, a carefully laid one that the man was trying to fulfil.

Though… what plan, exactly?

What could the marines want from them?

Was it to spy?

No, they would have sent someone that couldn’t have been recognized so easily. Even if he was not Izo, Marco too had read the articles about this odd one. Because he was _odd_. Seriously, the marine had gone more than once against Shichibukai’s. Not counting what he had done for Nico Robin. Thank the news crow for the info on that one… And Izo being a fanatic.

Back to the main point.

The objective couldn’t have been to gather information.

So, what?

To hinder them someway? From within?

But, seriously, they couldn’t be under the delusion that a Rear Admiral alone could do that. If they were, the standards for the marines must have fallen low…

However, Marco highly doubted the hypothesis.

No. Something else. And he had to discover what.

Plus, he imagined that neither the timing was a coincidence. The pirate glanced at him again, finding the man looking around with an amused grin… What a character… How was this mess related to the betrayal?

It might not be, but… He had a… feeling it was… Somehow.

And that brought his mind to Thatch. Marco decided to take a brief detour. To the infirmary. He opened the glassed door and checked who could take on the control over the marine for a while.

“Namur, yoi.” The fishman was just coming out of Thatch’s room. “Can you watch over him for a while? I’ll finish quickly.”

The shark-man nodded and walked to the hallway, leaning on the wall and locking gazes with the marine. The man smirked, crossed his arms and leaned on the opposite wooden wall. Marco wanted to roll his eyes at the blatant show of challenge.

He resisted the need to stay and reached his brother’s room, closing the door. Thatch was still there, still sleeping, still attached to too many IVs, still far away. His hair style was completely dishevelled and he seemed peaceful. The many bandages covering his torso showed how much Teach had _dared_ to defy their Captain and family. Marco felt his killing intent grow with every detail he took in of his unconscious brother.

A hand gripped his shoulder and the pirate glanced at the blonde at his right.

“It’s not your fault, Marco. If a fault must be given, then it’s Teach’s… and our blindness.” He said with a sad smile.

Marco sighed before looking again at him. “Go tell that to Ace and bring him back.”

The other man snorted. “Ace is as stubborn as a rock. I couldn’t stop him the first time, I won’t succeed now that he’s located Teach.”

The phoenix brushed a hand through his hair. “That should be good news, yoi, why does it make me feel even more worried?”

“Same for me.”

Marco sighed again and turned for the door. “As if this mess was not enough, we now have a… captive onboard, yoi.”

The blonde arched a brow under his hat. “A captive?”

“Yeah, nothing to worry about, yoi. Go rest, Sabo, the bags under your eyes are almost screaming.”

Marco left the room and reached the hallway. Where Namur was smirking at the marine. And talking.

Talking.

Namur.

No, the two words didn’t sound good together.

“He is not to be taken lightly.” The fishman grinned.

“I know, but I wanted to spar a little.”

“And he obliged?”

“Not exactly.” The marine laughed. “I simply attacked him and he had to defend himself.”

“I can imagine how much he was cranky after the spar.”

“He resembled a mermaid with his things.”

They both laughed loudly. Marco blinked. Twice. Then shrugged. He didn’t want to know. Nope. He was better left in the dark. He cleared his throat. Namur turned to him and nodded, still huffing in amusement.

“Hey Marco, what’s the lad doing here?” He pointed a thumb in the marine’s direction.

“A vacation, it seems. You know him?”

He nodded. “Boss Jimbe talks about him sometimes… Well, he whines a lot, to be accurate.” He laughed again, walking away.

“Shishishishi…” The marine straightened and looked at Marco, that was glaring. “What? I’m bored, can’t I at least chitchat?”

The pirate held back a retort and started walking towards his cabin. “Follow me, yoi.”

They walked in silence for some minutes before reaching it. Thankfully, being the Commander of the First Division had his perks. One, being near the deck. Marco opened the door and made for the other to enter, closing it behind.

It was a big office with tons of neatly disposed papers on every available surface. There were a big desk with a chair, some low tables, a wardrobe and a rather big porthole. A door led to the bedroom, where he had to add a bed for the captive, and, there, a door led to an attached bathroom.

“You’re surely more diligent than Smokey in doing your job.” The marine said, looking around.

Marco felt a bit flattered, but didn’t let it go straight to his head. “Someone has to do it.” His brothers were no use in that aspect…

“I know what that means.”

Surprisingly, he sighed, assuming an air around him completely different from what he had shown before. As if… he was another man altogether. Marco briefly pondered over why, and his curiosity increased. One was a façade, one was the true one. Or was it a mix? Why?

The marine locked gazes with him and slowly smirked. “My crew evades my office as if it has an infectious illness.”

“I can hardly imagine you doing paperwork, yoi…” He commented.

“That’s mean.” He pouted.

Marco watched carefully as the other blinked, as if taken by surprise, shook his head, maybe trying to clear his mind, and huffed. The pirate arched a brow. What was going through the marine? Why did he seem taken aback?

He let the subject rest in the back of his head and opened the door to the bedroom. “This is where you’ll sleep, yoi. Someone will bring a new bed for you.”

“The floor is fine, anyway. Adam Wood is comfortable.” The marine shrugged.

Marco scoffed. “We’re not savages, you’ll have a bed.”

He snickered. “I caught on that.” He whispered. “You are also more welcoming than marines.”

The pirate arched a brow. He wasn’t expecting such words from a Rear Admiral. Well, as odd as this one was, degrading marines’ ways was not… usual. Maybe even self-degrading. The boy did choose the marine’s path, why talk like that? It was as if Marco suddenly began talking bad of pirates. Putting aside the bad ones, pirates weren’t all that bad and he wouldn’t say something self-offending.

“You don’t like marines, yoi.”

The off-hand comment came more like a certainty than a question. The man looked down with his jaw clenched slightly, as if controlling his reaction, but not succeeding fully. He didn’t answer. Instead, he took on the easy-going persona and grinned widely at Marco, that scowled in retaliation. He didn’t know why, but he felt deceived and played.

This one was heavily hidden and had a tight control over his real self. Why, though? He knew of a lot of marines that were quite a character, many that were simply serious about their jobs, many that were outright crazy. Monkey D Garp was a crazy old man with many issues. Was his nephew the miniature of the hero? No, Marco had already found a hole in that façade. How, a mystery, but the man had crumbled once already. And the pirate had four full days to discover what he wanted.


	4. 04 – Good… and bad news

Marco felt like shit. He was tired, cranky, irritated and… confused.

Two nights had passed since the marine had boarded and strange things had begun happening around the ship.

First of all, he couldn’t sleep. Every time he tried to reach his usual aware sleep, he woke up with a start, with a feeling something was wrong. He quickly checked for the presence of the marine and found him soundlessly sleeping on the spare bed Namur had brought for him. He was sprawled with the sheets haphazardly scattered on his body. His almost naked body. As much as he found strange for one that he found because of his snoring to be soundless when he sleeps, the strangeness of one that slept in his underwear in a pirate’s cabin was even _stranger_ and unbelievable. Considering he was a marine… Almost impossible.

So, imagine his surprise when, the morning after, several pirates were whining about pranks all over the ship. Dyed clothes, missing sheets, hung on the ceiling furniture, overturned doors. Now, Marco was not stupid, he knew that, with Thatch in a comatose state, no one would have felt in tune to do pranks. Literally, no one. So, his suspicions fell on the prankster marine. The question, however, was _how on earth_ and _when the hell_ had he been able to do all that shit around?! He almost hadn’t closed his eyes during all the night!

Plus, Luffy grinning at the whines like a Cheshire cat was proof enough. For him, at least. Pops, instead, had smirked down at Marco for bringing up the subject and brushed it off with a waving hand. Pretty frustrating. Not counting the marine unending grins.

But that… was only the tip of the iceberg.

During the first day, Luffy followed him around. Well, that was appreciated, because, in the other case, Marco would have followed him around, and that would have been a waste of time. No, the irritating thing was… Luffy kept whining about being bored. Making use of his endless experience gained from having a master prankster on the ship, the pirate knew what that meant. The strangeness came when Marco… didn’t want to stop him. In other circumstances, as in the cook safe and sound, the First Mate would have immediately found a way to busy the man. But, in that moment, he didn’t feel like it. And Luffy noticed.

“If you wish for the lively atmosphere to stay, then sleep and _rest_.” He had said with an evil smirk.

The marine had practically sold himself out. Almost admitted his crimes… well, pranks… In Marco’s mind, they were comparable. But, instead of cornering the culprit, what had he done?

“I can’t sleep if I don’t trust you.”

Luffy’s grin had lost some of its playfulness. “I fear you won’t ever trust me. But… I have a way of gaining some of it.”

And the conversation had fallen into silence, with Marco working on his paperwork, his mind in a whirl of thoughts, and the marine idly reading a book. Courtesy of Namur.

The First Division Commander made sure that meals were eaten far from the crew, so he had to eat in his office with the marine. Izo walking past his door twenty times a day was not helping with the irritation.

The day passed by like that and Marco found it endlessly surprising that a happy-go-lucky marine like Luffy could read for so much time without rest. And his mates did not whine about new pranks. Until the day after, anyway.

He stirred, crankier than the day before and more tired than ever. Looking at the other bed, on the opposite side of the room, he found the marine stretching like a cat with a wide grin. His hands were even clenching and unclenching the sheets. Marco swiftly looked another way and stood, massaging his left shoulder with his right hand. He entered the bathroom and took a quick shower before dressing in clean clothes, always aware of the marine’s presence in the other room. The night has been exactly like the one before.

Marco returned and found him dressed in his usual black, tight pants and open dark red jacket. He was sitting on his bed, a new book in hand and grin plastered on his face. The pirate locked gazes with him and found the amusement behind his eyes different from the usual. It was truer and seemed happier. But why?

“Good morning.” He winked.

“Morning, yoi.” Marco sighed, walking in his office and soon followed.

But he didn’t sit. Instead, the pirate went out of his quarters, checking that the other was behind him, and reached the infirmary. The day before he had not visited, after all. Though, this time he didn’t have someone to ‘watch over’ the captive. He had to bring him inside.

Marco opened the door, motioning to the head nurse that the other was okay, and headed towards Thatch’s room. The marine looked around, grinning and creeping out nurses and pirates altogether. The phoenix sighed, but said nothing.

He opened the door and entered. Surprisingly, the marine nodded and stayed outside, leaning on the doorframe with crossed arms. He seemed more a bodyguard than a captive, honestly… He shrugged and sat near his brother, checking that the other did not move from his spot.

Thatch looked… better. Comatose yet, yes, but… He had little more colour on his cheeks and his breath was less laboured. The nurses suspected a strange poison had been used on the knife that pierced their brother. Could they have discovered which and used an antidote? Uhm, no, they would have reported it to him immediately.

He sighed and looked at the various gifts left in the room. Books, badly cooked biscuits, a kimono – surely Izo’s –, hair gel, a comb. Marco’s lips twitched upward a fraction at the sight.

A nurse entered, evading Luffy with a scowl. “Marco.”

“Suzuki.” He greeted back. “News, yoi?”

She nodded, swaying a bit her black, short hair. “We checked him this morning and found his parameters to be normal. It was strange, but it means he’s feeling better.” She smiled.

“So, you don’t know the reason, yoi…”

“No. The nurses are even talking about a ghost doctor that visited tonight… Bullshit, in my opinion.” She left without more words.

Marco arched a brow, looking at Luffy. He was smirking at him with glinting eyes. “Seriously…?”

“What, First Mate? Something on my face? Or… you like it?”

The pirate scowled. “You wish.” Tough… “I don’t know how you managed to do it, yoi, but… If it’s really been you, then… Thank you.”

The smirk changed, slowly morphing into a true smile. “I have no idea what you’re rambling about.”

“Tch.”

“Ugh…”

Marco almost suffered a whiplash when turning his head to Thatch. His brother’s eyes were slowly opening, probably adjusting to the light. He called Suzuki and looked over the cook, that was finally lifting his eyelids.

“M-Marco…?”

“Welcome back to the world of the living, yoi.” He felt an endless happiness fill his chest and stomach and couldn’t help the truest of his smiles from emerging.

It then became a mess. The pirate was thrown out of the room by several nurses. They fussed over Thatch, taking his parameters and doing some tests. Knowing how they would take forever to let anyone in, he took Luffy’s wrist and walked to his pops.

“I know how to walk.” He mumbled.

That took him by surprise, so much he let him go and looked behind. Why, now, was he not locking gazes like usual? Well, he had more pressing matters to take care of. They walked to the deck and found Izo on Whitebeard’s knee. As if electrocuted, the cross-dresser jumped and hid behind a leg of their Captain, earning an arched brow from Luffy, that still didn’t know about his… situation… a chuckle from Newgate and a huff from Marco.

“Morning, Pops.”

“Good morning, son. Marine.”

Luffy tilted his head in a greeting.

“Thatch has woken up, yoi.”

Slowly, the weight of those words settled and they truly understood their meaning. Marco let them stand straight before stopping their rush.

“The nurses won’t let you enter the infirmary, yoi. You should wait till they’re satisfied.”

Whitebeard almost… pouted, Marco noted, reading his expression better than anyone else. But… he had not come _only_ to deliver that news.

“Listen, yoi, the ma–…”

A sudden crush made him turn, tense and alert. The marine was laughing like mad while chased around by an irritated Rakuyo, that had his moustaches cut off asymmetrically. Marco let out a loud sigh before turning again to his snickering pops.

“As I was saying, the ma–…”

This time, Marco didn’t almost suffer a whiplash as Vista, too, had his moustaches cut. In strange angles, they had almost a shape… of _unicorns_. He turned again.

“Yoi! The ma–…”

Something crashed on Marco. He fell on his back and hit his head on the wooden floor. He saw black for some moments, groaning, before regaining his sight. And… What a sight. Luffy was literally straddling him, hands on his chest, face flushed from running around, slightly panting, smile morphing into a pout.

Thank _whatever Deity_ , Marco had a perfect poker face. Else, he would be reduced a blushing, bubbly mess. Instead, he sat and _kindly_ made the other stand with him, wrist clutched in his hand to prevent any more disturbance. He ignored the others gaping at him and faced his Captain.

“I’m trying to tell you this ma–…”

Marco didn’t notice Rakuyo and Vista jumping on Luffy until the subject of his _to”be_ conversation hopped in the air, taking the pirate with him. The First Division Commander groaned loudly, having been interrupted for the nth time. He stopped the running man with a strong thug and looked at him, stopping the others with a lifted, angry and twitching hand.

“Why?”

Luffy looked finally serious, for once. “I’m a captive. No more, no less.”

A shadow fell on them. The marine grinned and slid out of Marco’s grip, running around and chased by two furious moustache-less pirates. Quite funny, considering the shapes had changed for both the pirates. Fossa had swords and Rakuyo had guns.

Marco shook his head in mild exasperation, going to his Captain.

“What were you saying, son?”

He looked at his eyes, locking gazes. “Nothing, yoi.”

A chuckle was his answer. “Now, before we lose our host, don’t you think a ‘saving’ trip is in order?”

And that only helped Marco notice that the only one thinking of Luffy as a captive… was the captive himself.

 

Things got only more chaotic after that. With Thatch rapidly getting better and the increasingly worrying pranks all over the ship, his brothers were seriously starting to support the thesis of a ghost haunting them. A good, doctor ghost, for the nurses. A prankster ghost, for the pirates. A nuisance, human-bodied _chaos_ , for Marco. An amusing marine, for the Captain. Oh, and a super-star, hero, for the fan, awe-struck Izo. Though, Fossa and Rakuyo had their musings over who exactly was the culprit behind the pranks. Their sculptured moustaches were enough proof for them, anyway.

The first mate kept visiting his brother, that remembered almost nothing of the night of the attack, and watching over the captive. He was, however, at his patience’s end. For several reasons.

Aside from his inexistent sleep, he was starting to feel strange. The episode in which the man had straddled him kept bugging Marco in ways… he didn’t like. Well, no, he rather… liked it, but… It was highly distracting. Especially during the night, when Luffy moved around sensually in his bed with muffled sounds escaping his lips. Yes, sensually. It was maddening. And he felt like shit, because it was wrong on _so many levels_ it wasn’t even funny as a joke.

Marco hadn’t felt like that in _years_. Maybe more. Well, that was not the point. He was confused by the way the man made him _feel_ it. Because, not even his brothers had made him feel more than his affection. No, this was not affection. This was… He didn’t even want to name it. Too dangerous and… out-of-place.

He huffed, taking the newspaper from the news coo and walking back to his office, Luffy, grinning, in tow. The phoenix wanted to sigh, but resisted. Once in… their office, because it _had_ become theirs, Marco sat in his desk and opened the newspaper. Surprisingly, Luffy approached him, circled the desk and hunched from behind to take a look.

“Suddenly interested in the world, yoi?” He arched a brow.

Luffy glanced at him. “I don’t think someone would like to miss on that title, not even you, nor your brothers.”

Marco blinked before looking at the paper.

 

**PORTGAS D ACE CAPTURED!!**

 


	5. 05 – Revelations

“Oy, stupid cook!!”

“What the hell, idiot marimo!!”

“Will you two stop it?!?!” Two punches gave them two huge bumps.

“I miss Luffyyyy….” A reindeer’s whine.

“Me, too…” A crying skeleton clutching a straw hat.

“Our Cap’n’s fine!! SUPEEERRR!!”

“Huhuhuh… Of course he is… Though. This newspaper is exactly what he was expecting.”

“And our signal to move.” A cannon ball to a pirate’s ship approaching.

“Where to, Zoro?” A whack to the marimo’s head.

“Stop it, stupid woman.”

“Don’t you dare treat Nami-swaaaan like that, bastard marimo!!”

“Shut it, cook! To Paradise! Follow the vivre card!”

 

“This is…”

Marco looked gravely at Izo, gazing then over his pops. Whitebeard had been looking at the newspaper with unspoken sadness and rage. He knew fully well what those, coupled with the news, meant.

“War, yoi.”

Izo and Thatch, that had been extraordinarily let out of the infirmary in a wheelchair, nodded, still shaken. For once, thankfully, Luffy was silent, leaning on the wall behind the Captain’s huge chair, arms crossed and gaze to the sea. He wondered briefly why was he frowning…

“Marco.”

“Pops.”

“Make calls for every Commander to reach us. Then…”

The door to the deck opened and they looked at Sabo. He nodded at Thatch before speaking.

“Rakuyo told me to come, what happened?”

Marco silently gave him the newspaper, waiting for the impending wrath. Since welcoming this one and Ace to the crew, they immediately learnt their mutual hate towards marines and the World Government. The reasons were still deeply hidden, despite their growing attachment to the crew and the Captain. And that was why they had _not_ told him about their captive, silently watching them with narrowed eyes.

His Haki flaring all around was the first sign. The crumpled paper falling to the ground was the second. And, unfortunately, that was when Sabo noticed the other. For the life of him, Marco could not fathom how exactly Sabo immediately understood he was a marine, because the blonde punched him straight in the stomach. At the same time, he did not understand why the other had just taken the hit without dodging or fighting back.

It took every ounce of strength Marco and Izo had to stop Sabo. By then, Luffy was sitting, his back to the wall, bleeding from the mouth, but still _smirking_.

“Why the hell is HE here?!” He asked, still irate.

“Sabo, calm down!” Marco flared his own Haki, successfully making the other stop. “He’s the captive, yoi! Why the hell are you hitting him?!”

The blonde glared at him, then at Luffy, then looked at Whitebeard. “Because he is a fucking marine.”

The Captain frowned, hunching forward. “Sabo, you usually do not attack marines like that. What’s the real reason?” No answers. “Is it the same one that explains your and Ace’s hate towards the Government?”

Sabo looked at his right, slightly nodding. Luffy’s smirk didn’t fall, but Marco noticed the change in his eyes. They were hiding sadness. Did… did the two know each other? And Ace?

“Fine, son. I have to ask you to not attack him again.”

Sabo scowled, still looking aside. “As you wish, Oyaji.” He yanked his arms, still held by Izo, and walked away.

Marco sighed, locking gazes with Luffy. “Care to explain, yoi?”

He shrugged, standing and dusting off his clothes. “You can guess the info he allowed to let go. I don’t have the right to tell you.” Luffy looked at Whitebeard. “Nor you.” Back at Marco. “And I think you have more pressing matters than worry on this. Though, you all seem to forget something.”

Izo approached him, seemingly worried about his wounds. “What?”

The smirk took a truer edge. “You still have a captive on board. Will you let a card like that just free on an unknown island?” Marco understood right away. “Or will you use it as an… exchange?”

 

Marco sighed for the nth time that day. He felt… drained. Literally.

Sabo had disappeared God knew where, pops had decided he liked the idea of a _marine_ , Izo had beamed that his hero had helped them, Thatch had begun again with his pranks. How he could tell which were the cook’s? He’d developed quite the eye to recognize his works and tell the difference with certainty.

After making the nurses check on Luffy, they’d passed lunch and the afternoon in the office, religiously silent. The man had his new book, Marco had calls to do and report to write. He didn’t fear being heard. If the plan really got to see its end, then those calls were bound to be already seen to. They could only wait for the news that Monkey D Luffy was held captive by the Whitebeard’s pirates and the following Government’s reaction.

However, things were not that easy. From his point of view. Beginning from his own stomach feelings, ending with Sabo’s fit that morning. And everything was caused by the prankster that was laying on the couch of his office, looking at him with a shit-eating grin. The fact that Marco found his position _alluring_ hit him like a train. He needed a distraction from _this_ distraction.

“Are you going to spill it, now?”

He arched an inquisitive brow. “Spill what?”

Patience. _Patience_. “It’s obvious Sabo knows you, yoi.”

“Well, that much is.”

_PATIENCE_ … But better add a bit of craftiness. “And you know him. You knew he was going to attack you on sight, yoi. You _let_ him hit.” The grin lost some brightness. “As if you deserve it.”

That made the grin disappear completely. His lips were only a thin line. His eyes were narrowed, but not enough for Marco to miss the sadness, the pain. Luffy sat, the sensual movements ingrained in his body.

“So what.” His mask was finally off.

“So, yoi, spill it. Why?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“Oh, yes, I think I _need_ to know.”

A scoff.

“I already know about your pranks, about your part in Thatch’s recovery… and about the fact that you’re here for a specific reason.” He paused. “At this point, I could even think you’re here to _play_ the part of the captive… Considering you know Sabo, you probably know Ace, too, yoi. That could mean your reason is to be used in the exchange.”

The slight widening of the other’s eyes was enough of an answer for Marco to smirk. Luffy rapidly regained his control, unfortunately.

“Spill it.” He said, firmer.

A long moment of silence filled the room, so long that the pirate thought he’d had to repeat himself. Instead, he heard a sigh escaping the marine’s lips.

“Fine, but you don’t know anything.”

Marco nodded. He stood and circled the desk, leaning on it in front of Luffy, arms crossed.

“I was their brother, Sabo and Ace’s.” He said, taking the blonde by surprise. “We grew together on an island of the East Blue. I won’t hinder you with the details of our meeting.” Another sigh, his elbows were on his knees, back hunched forward and fingers interlaced loosely. “I was the older one and they looked up to me. We wanted to become pirates.” This man was _full_ of surprises. “But, I changed my mind and followed gramps to become a marine.”

Yes. Sure. Like that was a thing that could be changed so easily. Most of all in a stubborn one like Luffy.

“They didn’t take the news well and still hold grudges, I guess.”

Marco stayed silent for some minutes, mulling on something. He brushed a hand through his hair, tiredly.

“And why did you change your mind, yoi?”

“None of your business.”

“Oh, really? Because, yoi… I have a theory.”

His eyes narrowed a fraction. “A theory…”

The pirate nodded. “You’re currently on Moby Dick because you chose to, yoi. That much you agreed on with your actions and words.” He gained no reactions. “So, your purpose is to play and be exchanged for Ace, like you so _willingly suggested_.” Nothing. “This means, you care deeply about him…” Luffy turned his head away. “No, both of them, yoi.” Marco detached from the desk and approached the other. “And that makes me think…” The pirate bended his knees to be on the same eye-level. “What kind of deal did you make by giving up your freedom?”

If Marco wasn’t seeing things, then the man in front of him was teary-eyed. And lightly shaking. He was right. The only question still unanswered was: what for? But… That was to be discussed another time. At that moment, the one in front of him was struggling to keep in so many emotions that it would have been impossible just to live with them constantly.

Unsure about what to do, Marco put his hands on the other’s shoulders, gaining his attention. Yes, his eyes were teary, but carefully restrained. He needed to unwind, the phoenix understood, and the best way to let him right then was… comfort. It had worked with Izo and Haruta, back when they had needed someone near on whom they could rely on. Wasn’t this the same? He did the first thing that came to his mind.

Slowly, to let the other accustom, he circled his shoulders with his arms and tightened his embrace. The first reaction was stiffness. Then, insecurely, two arms hugged his waist tightly. A fit of restrained shivers took over the man. Marco felt his shirt and chest lightly wet.

In another time, in another place, with someone else, he would have found the situation highly awkward and never in his life would he have acknowledged that, one day, he would end up comforting a marine. But, there he was, hugging the life out of a hurting man and finding it oddly _fitting_. Because, he felt nice. He felt right. He felt… peaceful.

Marco brushed his hands lightly on the other’s back. Luffy made some space between them to lock gazes with him. There were several emotions in his red eyes. Sadness, regret, something akin to hate and something that made his stomach curl.

“Thank you.”

Marco shrugged in the embrace, taken aback by the low voice. “How many years have you hold back, yoi?”

He shook his head. “I’ve lost count… But, I did protect them for a long time.”

“They hate you.”

“I don’t care.”

“Liar.”

Luffy smiled sadly. “You would have done the same.”

“Maybe, yoi.”

He sighed. “I guess you know who Ace really is.”

Marco nodded. “Sabo, too.”

“I made a bargain with gramps. I would join the marines, he would let them free.” He gritted his teeth, eyes down.

The pirate tensed at what those words could mean. Then relaxed. Obviously. So fucking obvious.

“They don’t know, yoi.”

Luffy shook his head, letting go of Marco and hugging his own legs. The pirate’s arms slid to his waist.

“They are better left in the dark.” He put his head on his knees.

“Well… I know for certain that, if they get wind of this, you’ll be beaten up. More than this morning, yoi. And we won’t be able to stop them.”

That earned a chuckle. “Guessed so. A new reason to stay quiet. You, too.”

Marco listened to the low laugh and smiled himself. Then, a thought hit him.

“You’re quite clever, yoi. Planning this whole ordeal…”

“It’s going on better than I imagined. Though, you discovering me was not in the plan.” He muttered the last part. With a pout.

This time, Marco chuckled. “You don’t seem to regret talking, yoi.”

“I don’t know what makes me more vengeful. You knowing everything or you knowing I don’t mind it.” He glared, somewhat softly.

“Vengeful, yoi? You’re already pranking the whole ship.”

“I’ve never pranked you.” He smirked.

For an instant, Marco felt several shivers down his spine. It was gone all too soon. The lips he had kept on looking for hours were suddenly on his own, pressing gently. The pirate blinked before answering the kiss. A hand went up to the other’s nape. It was so _wrong_ , doing this with a captive. But, that was only what his muffled mind was supplying. His whole body was countering it with a shout of how _right_ it felt. He drowned in the new sensations the touch brought in him.

They let the kiss end, locking gazes. There was a certain playfulness in Luffy’s eyes, but also…

“And you call this a prank, yoi?”

He huffed, rolling his eyes. “Not my best.” A smirk adorned the lightly swollen lips. “I can upgrade it.” Marco smirked at that, too. “But, I think it’s better not.”

They both smiled. Marco sighed, standing, and took his hand. “Time for _me_ to rest, yoi.”

The following happy chuckle was music to his ears.


	6. 06 – Foreboding

**MONKEY D LUFFY HELD CAPTIVE BY THE WHITEBEARD PIRATES!!**

 

Akainu Sakazuki strode through the corridor of Impel Down, newspaper clutched ragefully in his right hand. He destroyed the door to Magellan’s office and took a document from his coat. The prison’s Chairman didn’t bat an eye at the clear show of impoliteness, Sengoku did warn him about the Admiral’s temper. Instead, he poured themselves some tea and took the document the other offered.

As expected, the files were about passing the custody of the prisoner in the sixth level, Portgas D Ace, to Admiral Akainu. It was signed by the Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Vice Admiral Monkey D Garp. The reason scribbled on the second paper explained that the prisoner was to be used as a mean of freeing the Rear Admiral Monkey D Luffy from captivity under the Yonko Whitebeard.

The marine was already fuming in front of him, sipping his tea, somewhat calmly, so Magellan wasted no greetings in ordering Hannyabal to go take the pirate. He ignored the whines to settle for doing some needed paperwork.

Akainu, meanwhile, was literally feeling the lava of his body increasing in heat as seconds passed by. His high blood pressure was reaching new heights. That spawn of the devil had finally done it. How many times had he told Sengoku to just kill him? He was the nephew of Garp the Hero, but he was also the son of Dragon, the Head of the Revolutionary Army. A threat to the Absolute Justice. The bastard had all but given the pirates the upper hand by ending in their hands. And, now, they had no choice but to give away their chance of eradicating the spawn of Gol D Roger, worse than the devil for Justice.

He had warned them. Countlessly. Kizaru and Aokiji’s snickers at his growing rage had been mind-blowing, successfully hindering his objective of killing the bastard. And now, there it was, the proof he had been right all along. The proof that Monkey D Luffy _had_ to be eradicated.

Yes. He would follow through with the orders given to him by the Fleet Admiral. Yes. He would exchange a pirate for a marine. But. Yes. He _would_ kill at least _one_ devil, one way or another. For Absolute Justice’s sake.

 

Whitebeard was baffled. And currently felt a bit cheated. He didn’t hold back his pout, because only Marco was able to recognize it. Considering the First Division Commander’s attention was a bit _taken_ , he had no worries of being discovered.

No, because Marco was sitting on the roof, cross-legged, watching intently their captive. Now, it was not strange. It shouldn’t have been. But. His eyes were different than the day before. They were careful, scrutinizing as always. However, there was a softness, a struggling happiness that yearned to surface through. And, if Whitebeard knew his son well enough, it was not because the brat was pranking the whole ship, blaming everything on Thatch.

The reason why he felt cheated? Marco, his first son, was not relying on him, nor confiding in him. Why baffled? Because he knew what those eyes meant. And he recognized almost the same thing in the marine brat, when he turned to look over.

“Son.” He called, gaining his divided attention. “You’re different.”

Marco arched a brow. “Different, yoi?”

Whitebeard nodded, drinking from his bottle. “Starry-eyed, I’d say.” He chuckled.

“Star–… Pops…” He face-palmed.

“Gurarara… Hard not to notice.”

“And what have you understood, exactly?”

“That you’re falling.”

Marco scoffed. “Such threatening words, yoi…”

“Threat? You see a threat in ‘falling’?” He turned to look better at his son, that was sighing. “Son, there’s nothing wrong in falling for someone.”

Light pink dust settled on Marco’s cheeks, almost invisible. “A marine?”

“Gurararara! And that’s a problem? We’re all sons and daughters of the sea! Gurararara!!”

Marco ignored the notion that his father was laughing at his expenses and returned to look at the source of his thoughts. He knew someone that had already fallen for a marine, although he was still in the angry denial phase, but said someone was waiting for their rescue. He couldn’t ask any whatsoever questions. And, once saved, the other would have already left. So, Ace was out.

Pops had just given him complete leeway to do what he wanted with these… feelings. But. He was not one to fool around. He had never been. So, the problem was still there. Even if he wanted to pursue it, whatever _it_ was, Luffy was bound to leave and be out of his reach. Soon, too.

A marine’s call had reached their snails that morning, requesting to do an exchange between their captives. Whitebeard had talked to the no name and they had agreed on doing the whole thing on a nearby island, that they were currently reaching, the day after. Much sooner than he had thought. The marines seemed in a bit of a hurry, in his opinion. What made him tenser, however, was that the Admiral Akainu was going to bring Ace to them. Surprising, yes, but… Marco had a sense of foreboding, thinking about it.

Akainu had always bragged about ‘Absolute Justice this’, ‘Absolute Justice that’. It was unnatural that someone like him, who had a natural-born hate towards pirates, willingly _let one go_. No, not his style at all. A timing bomb. Why would Sengoku, knowing his subordinate, assign Akainu? No, he would have not. Aokiji was more suitable for such a task. Akainu had _proposed_ to take care of the problem. Thing was, why? What was his hidden purpose?

“Ohi, Mango!!”

A thick mark appeared on his forehead before Marco found himself sprawled on the ground like the day before. With Luffy straddling his hips, like the day before. With a mischievous smirk adorning his lips, unlike the day before. As he had come, he was gone, in a flicker of black a red. A raging Jozu, whose armour had taken a pinkish shade, had finally understood the fault of that prank lied in Luffy and not Thatch, that was still laughing like a madman, maybe reopening his wounds. Sighing, he sat up and brushed a hand through his hair.

“Gurararara…”

As if that marine’s antics were not enough. “Pops… yoi.”

“Yes, son?”

“… I’m going mad, am I not?”

“Gurarararara!!!”

 

What he was currently going through did not summarize into rage or hate. No, it was much more and much less at the same time. He didn’t know how to feel, go figures how to _act_. Ace’s stubbornness was still away from him and Sabo was left with his loudly busy mind. The wreckage that never ended supplying him with highly unlikely… and, at the same time, not so much… scenarios.

His weak, weak mind wanted to think that his… their older brother had his reasons. Hell, Sabo knew his brothers! He knew how Luffy was! Pensive, secretive, protective… Not a betrayer. No, he was not… Still, he had. He had betrayed them and, instead of following the path of a pirate, like them, he had chosen to be a… _marine_. Under Garp, their so-called gramps that had stopped visiting right after, who knew why... Fuck that. He had a hypothesis. One that Ace had heard. Many times. One that they both didn’t want to acknowledge.

It was too… Unacceptable. How old were they, back when they’d met? Ace had been 7, Sabo, maybe around 7, too, and Luffy… Oh right, he’d been 11. Around the time Sabo had ran away from home, Luffy had been already in the forest, hunting down some prey and offering him food and an ear to hear him out. Then, Ace had come around. The stubborn, lonely, wrecked mess he had been. But, Luffy had pierced through with seemingly no effort at all, he had just… heard his plea, lent a shoulder, offered a shelter and training. It had been, sometime later, Ace’s idea that of exchanging sake cups to become brothers.

Sabo remembered that day as if it had been the day before. The happiness, the contentment, the brotherly feeling. Something that had pervaded their days till that… accursed… Damn it all. He was crying again. How old were they when he had left? Nine? Eleven? Maybe ten, it was blurry. Not because of his tears, no, his mind supplied, but because he didn’t want to remember.

Yet again, there was something that was printed in his memory. An image… no, like a moving image. The picture of his older brother, bloody because of Ace, turning away with a grin. And a tear sliding down his cheek. A single tear, like the ones that were flowing freely right then from his closed eyes. And the ones Ace seldom poured when he though Sabo was sleeping.

For the life of him, even if he _hated_ what Luffy had done, he couldn’t bring himself to hate him. He just… couldn’t. His ever-working brain promptly remined him the theory he wanted to believe. The theory according to which his older brother had done that because he _had to_. Because he was forced to. The one Ace refused on a daily basis… When they talked about Luffy, anyway.

A shaky sigh escaped his lips as he leaned his head against the wall of his cabin. He had not the guts to face again Luffy, the one that had smirked at him when hit with that much strength. Why was he on Whitebeard’s ship? Why was he held captive? He knew Luffy, he was clumsy, maybe, but not _as_ clumsy as to end up in pirates’ hands. No, he probably _wanted_ to be exactly where he was. So, the right question was, why did he want to be there, of all places?

Ace was held by the enemy, Luffy was held by allies, what had the World against them, exactly? …

No…

Wait…

It couldn’t be…

Ace had been in the marine’s hands for less than Luffy had been in theirs. No, the timing didn’t add up.

Sabo brushed a hand on his cheeks, crispy for the dry tears.

But… Luffy had always been clever in anticipating moves. Like when they’d had that meeting with the pirates, back in the Grey Terminal. Luffy had swiftly, without any mistakes, anticipated what the Captain would have done, where he would have brought Ace and when to act to not be seen.

So… Did Luffy really predict that Ace would have been caught? How the hell did he manage that?! And, even if _impossible_ , Sabo had no problems in believing it. Just as the thought brushed his mind, he totally believed Luffy was there for them, for _Ace_.

Sabo abruptly stood up, ignored the consequent dizziness and left his room towards the deck. He heard shouts and running footsteps, whose sounds intensified when he opened the door. Looking around, Sabo found Luffy chased by a fuming, pink-armoured Jozu. Marco was sitting on the roof with an almost-there smile and Oyaji was laughing with Thatch. Izo, strangely, was hiding behind the huge chair, watching intently the scene.

The blonde jumped near Marco and sat. The other looked at him, nodding.

“Calmed down, yoi?”

He smiled apologetically. “Something like that…” He paused. “Marco… Can I ask you something?” He received a nod and his undivided attention. “I… How much do you know about him?”

The other shrugged. “Enough, what’s the problem?”

“I want your… honest opinion.” He answered. “About… Luffy.” Sabo swallowed, looking at the marine jumping around… He was probably already aware of his presence, simply ignoring him…. “Do you think he… is the type to betray a loved one?”

Marco arched a brow, looking at the marine. “I’ve known him for less than a week, yoi.” Sabo slowly deflated, feeling a fool for asking. “But… I’d say no, frankly.” The teen looked at the other pirate, blinking. “I’ve seen him doing pranks, reading and _behaving_. Do you really picture a marine, even if of the same calibre, behaving on Whitebeard’s ship? Yoi, I’d say whoever would try to hinder us in any way possible. Instead, he even helped and suggested the exchange for Ace.” He paused. “I’d hazard, too… He’s doing pranks endlessly, yoi. Have you noticed how the atmosphere is a lot livelier onboard?”

Sabo slid his gaze on Luffy, that was dangling from the sail, grinning like a brat at Jozu. Honestly, he’d been so engrossed first in Thatch’s health and then in his own little world that… he hadn’t… noticed…

Thatch’s health…

It couldn’t be…

“Don’t tell me…” He turned to Marco. “Was it him who–”

Something, in a blur of red and black, landed on Marco, that ended up sprawled on the floor. Sabo identified Luffy when the marine turned to him with an arched brow. And then, he was gone again, Jozu still chasing him around.

“Gurarara… Sabo, how are you feeling?”

“Fine, oyaji…” He answered as Marco sat once again, groaning.

“I swear, if he does that a fourth time, yoi…”

“A fourth… It happened already trice?”

Marco rubbed his head. “Yes, unfortunately.”

Well, that had more to do with _willingness_ than with fortune. But Sabo kept that to himself. Back to the main point…

“I was saying, was it him that–”

Luffy, this time, gripped Marco’s wrist and took him in the chase. Almost comically, considering Marco was dangling like a doll, instead of running. Add up his indifferent but defeated expression, Sabo chuckled to not laugh out loud.

“Gurararara!!”


	7. 07 – A life for a life

Ace spluttered some blood on the wooden deck. These bastard marines were trying to seriously kill him, not using him as an _exchange_. Who the hell had the idea? And how on earth did his pops manage to have a _marine_ onboard?! Strange and unusual. Even Marco would have had his sayings against that.

But, now, the idiot marine who was able to be held captive was the only thread to freedom he had. The thread that had brought the marine ship to this unknown island of Paradise. And his torture to its end, finally. He’d had to suffer beatings while wearing the sea stone cuffs. Double the pain and the numbness.

“Portgas D Ace.”

Ah. How could he have forgotten his favourite torturer. Akainu Sakazuki, Admiral. Fucking hateful marines. These bastards had the guts to think the world was theirs and that justice was only what they thought it was.

“We arrived.”

You don’t say?! That’s the only reason why he would have stopped _punching_ him into a bloody mess!! But he held back his retort, Ace didn’t want his family’s efforts to go to waste because of his temper. Or sharp tongue.

“I have the duty to exchange you for a Rear Admiral.”

Oh. That should be quite high in the ladder… Well, according to what Sabo muttered when studying about marines… Why the hell would he do that in the middle of the night, when he thought Ace was sleeping, was far from his understanding… No, not exactly, he knew why, but he would not admit it for anything. Because it was the same that made him feel sad and… useless.

“I should really kill you, instead.”

Ace lifted his gaze, feeling his shoulders creak for being hung over his head for so long. He looked at the marine’s eyes, finding them bottomless and unforgiving. So unfitting for someone who should protect the weak. So far, few were fitting his idea of a justice fighter. Smoker included. He felt warmth creep on his cheeks. He was _not_ going there…

“I’m giving away one spawn for another, it isn’t even funny.”

Why was the jackass so talkative? He had not said a word even when he’d beaten Ace up. What was he… so furious he couldn’t tell how out of character he was? Maybe. He didn’t care. … Wait. A spawn for another? What the hell did that mean?! Spawn… of the devil, was that the saying? Well, Ace could understand he was one, after all. But, that sentence meant that the marine of the exchange was… like himself? Well, he knew for sure he had no blood brothers. And, whoever that one was, he had no care. Though… He had one that was like him, but Luffy was not so idiot as to be captured by Whitebeard. As much as he… hated him, he had to give it to the _marine_ , Luffy seemed a clumsy idiot, but was not.

“Unchain him, we’re moving.”

Ace ignored the two lackeys that unlocked the chains and brought him on the island. No, he was not. Luffy was a nightmare for his enemies, when he wanted to. He remembered well the episode with the bullies at the Grey Terminal. He shivered, a sight he could never forget. And now… wasted with the marines…

 

Marco stirred awake, careful of not waking up the marine at his side. How the hell did he manage to draw near the two beds in the middle of the night without waking him up was still a mystery to him. He had just woken up the night before to find him cuddled at his side. Cute.

It was, however, the day of the exchange and Marco was feeling restless. More than because of lack of sleep. The sense of foreboding that had accompanied him throughout the entire previous day had just intensified during the night. He tightened his embrace on the man and sighed, noting it was ten in the morning. He had overslept, too. Thank God paperwork was not piling up.

Marco sighed again as the other started to wake up. Cutely, of course. But, also sensually, as he liked to see. Luffy blinked the sleep off his eyes and landed his gaze on the pirate, smiling softly.

“‘Morning, Mango.”

He scowled. But didn’t reprimand him. Marco had stopped when he received a peculiar answer: ‘I will when I feel like it.’ Almost dreadful.

“Good morning, yoi.”

However, he could still feel vengeful. Without warnings, he captured the other’s lips and made use of the fleeting surprise to invade the marine’s mouth. Luffy responded to the kiss eagerly and bravely, fighting off Marco’s tongue immediately. The pirate wasted no time in grabbing his waist and bringing the other into a straddling position. He sat and massaged his sides, gaining control over the kiss and bathing in the elicited moans. They were gazing at each other and Marco liked the redness on his cheeks, not because it suited him… well, it did, but because _he_ was the one causing it. That aroused him to no ends.

But… He detached from Luffy, slightly panting and satisfied. He had already decided not to, and here he had done it. Again. A hand caressing his cheek brought his gaze to the marine.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Marco sighed. “Should have guessed, yoi.”

Luffy smiled... A smile that settled in the pirate’s stomach like a massive rock. “And I understand.” The sense of foreboding increased. “We won’t probably see each other again, after today.”

Those words felt so ominous that Marco had the urge to kiss the life out of him. Fiercely. As if claiming the man. He stopped the kiss and glared daggers.

“I don’t like the way you’re talking, yoi.”

Luffy was left panting, surprised by the sudden violence. “Wha… In which… way am… I talking?”

“In a way I don’t like. Do it again, and you’ll leave hobbling.”

The other had the nerve to chuckle. “That’s not a threat, you know.” He licked his lips, taunting. “Instead, I’m rather aroused when you’re like this.”

Marco smirked… but recognized Luffy’s way of changing subject of conversation. “You’ll not mislead me so easily. It can work with Sabo, yoi. Not with me.”

The marine pouted. “Pity. He didn’t even notice I was doing it on purpose.” He made some space between them. “But, that’s Sabo for you. He understood almost everything, yet got so easily distracted.”

“Well, ‘easily’ not so much, yoi.  He tried. You made him fail by using me.”

“You were not exactly helping him.”

“Who told me to stay quiet?”

A new, more pronounced pout. Marco kissed him and bit his lip, earning a mewling sound.

“Stop playing the victim, yoi.” He grabbed tightly his rear. “Or I won’t hold back anymore.”

He chuckled. “You still don’t understand. That’s exactly what I want.” Luffy brought his hands on his neck and smirked.

“Evil.”

“Of course. Ask Sabo or Ace, I’ve always been.” He let his hands and smirk slip. “It’s late, Mango. We should go before we _both_ lose control.”

Marco sighed before letting the other stand. He soon followed, still unsettled.

“Fine, yoi. Let’s go to pops.”

In a matter of some minutes, they were on deck. Izo, Thatch, Sabo and Namur were already waiting near the Captain.

“Morning, yoi.”

“Good morning, son.”

“Morning…..”

“Shaaaa… Good morning.”

“… Morning…”

“Shishishishi!”

“Gurarararara… Brat. You’re leaving.”

Luffy crossed his hands. “About time. Oh, I should suggest… sea-stone cuffs.” He held up his wrists. “We don’t want marines thinking I’m… _behaving_ … right?”

That took all by surprise. But, even more surprisingly, was who talked first.

“You’re a Devil Fruit user…” Sabo whispered.

The marine looked at him with an unreadable gaze. “Yes, I am.” The gaze shifted to Whitebeard.

“Gurarara… You played us quite nicely, marine brat.” He hummed. “You resemble more a pirate, though.”

“Oh, believe me, I’m not.” Luffy countered.

Marco nodded to Namur, that silently went to take the cuffs. He felt a bit… cheated. It was normal for one of the marines to have eaten a Devil Fruit, but… He thought that Luffy would have told him.

Where they were decked, the pirate could see the marine ship, at the opposite side of the small island. Whitebeard and Luffy were still at their gazing contest when the fishman came back with the cuffs. The marine looked at him and nodded, letting Namur cuff him. Marco saw the dizziness hit like a wave and propped forward in time to catch the man in his arms.

Luffy smiled at him, grateful, before leaning totally on the pirate. “Shall we go?” A shivering pant. “You want back your brother, right?”

The phoenix understood the meaning behind the other’s hurry and looked at pops. “Will you come, too, yoi?”

Whitebeard thundered his loud laugh and stood. “Of course, son. Sabo, Namur and Izo will, too.”

Thatch started whining but got silenced by a death glare of Izo. Wasn’t the wheelchair enough? Seriously.

Marco took Luffy up bridal-style, ignored the marine’s light blush and jumped down on the island. The others followed.

On the opposite side, several marines were already deployed. Towering over them, Akainu. He was getting down the ship with two lackeys behind him. Slowly approaching them, Marco noticed that those two were dragging something… better, someone. The pirates stopped in the middle between the two ships and Marco let Luffy down.

“It’s better if you let me go, Mango.” He arched a brow. “ _Completely_.”

He understood, then. It was not safe for Luffy to be seen like that. So comfy in the arms of a pirate. The First Division Commander of the Whitebeard’s pirates, for crying out loud.

“You sure, yoi?” He apparently couldn’t give a damn about that.

Luffy nodded and whispered: “But stay by Sabo’s side. He may have a panic attack. Restrain him, if necessary.”

“Why would he?”

He bit his lower lip. “You’ll see. Ace, too, if need arises.” He arched a brow. “Do I know this island…?” He muttered.

Marco didn’t like how that sounded at all. But let him go, checking that he was steady. He clutched in his hand the key. The plan was to give it to them once the exchange had been seen to. The marines didn’t know about it… The cuffs were a new thing, added just moments before, after all. The present fleet, not.

So, he made another plan. He couldn’t trust marines. Not the likes of Sakazuki. But he had to be fast.

“Yoi.”

Marco slipped the key in Luffy’s pants’ rear pocket. With a pat. That earned a light blush. That made his own lips curl. A cough, coming from Izo, brought them back from cloud nine. Unfazed, the phoenix turned to him and the cross-dresser tilted his head to the other side of the island.

Indeed, the marines had reached their place. The one dragged was Ace, gagged, bloody and beaten, almost fainting. He saw red. What kept him in place was his control, but also the flicker of pure bloodlust that lasted less than a second coming from Luffy. Seriously, if that was not enough for Sabo, then he was stupid in his cleverness. He resisted the urge to check on him, then remembered what Luffy told him and did anyway. Sabo, however, was wearing the same indifferent face of when he’d met the two brothers. What was the marine expecting?

“Whitebeard.”

Ah. Sakazuki. The voice that had the tone of Absolute Justice in it. Marco wanted to scoff but looked at his father and nodded.

“Admiral.”

Ahah, the brat part was in the air. _Impressive control, pops_.

“I hope our colleague is unharmed.”

Was it only Marco or those words sounded strained and false?

“More than my son, I see.”

Akainu tch-ed. “Let’s get this over with.”

“The key?”

“I’ll throw it to you once the exchange is complete.”

No asking for Luffy’s one? Strange. He had done well in giving it to him.

“Then, marine brat, walk.” Whitebeard grinned.

Luffy’s lips twitched, as if wanting to smirk, but he started to head towards his colleagues. And Marco felt… empty… and filled with inexplicable rage and… an almost uncontrollable spur of protective instincts. He was not the only one, he noted, when Sabo jumped forward, cursing with gritted teeth. Marco was faster, fortunately, and stopped him, grabbing his arms from behind and restraining any kind of attempt.

“What’s the matter, yoi?”

He should have asked that to himself. Sabo was, however, restless, frantic… totally panicking.

“He… He’s…”

Ace had started walking, too, when Luffy had stopped in the middle, waiting. Akainu had snorted while pushing the pirate forward. Fire-fist had widened his eyes when he had caught sight of the traitorous, in his mind, brother. He had gaped and panicked, stopping in front of him and shaking his head.

“No… No, you…”

“Shut up, pirate, and do as the Admiral told you, before I myself slit your throat.”

Luffy’s voice was cold, void of any kind of emotion, but Marco recognized the sadness from the day the marine cried in his office. Sabo shivered, panicking even more. Whitebeard, behind them, was confused.

“Ace, come here.” He called.

The fire user flinched and did as told, almost robotically. Luffy walked once Ace was past him. The pirate turned, still walking, towards Luffy and he, too, was looking at him.

“Go, idiot.”

After that whisper, the marine and the pirate went their ways. Sabo was struggling to get free, but Marco didn’t let him go.

“Sabo, calm down!”

“No! We, we have… we have to save him!”

Ace had almost reached them, still looking behind, somewhat baffled.

“Save him?” Izo asked, alarmed.

“Yes, he is…”

Ace interrupted him. “Sabo, shut up.” His eyes were firm but not totally sure of what was happening.

“Son, what…”

“Pops, thanks for saving me, but… the key.”

Whitebeard nodded, looking at the marines. Luffy was standing on their side, indifferent mask on place. He was looking at his superior, expectantly.

“The key, Admiral.” His Captain thundered.

Akainu snorted, taking the metal key from the pocket of his red double-breasted suit. He launched it at them and Izo easily grabbed it, moving to free Ace. Flames burned on his skin and the teen seethed. The marines, seemingly satisfied, boarded their ship. Luffy winked their way before following, still cuffed.

“Sabo.” The blonde, that had stopped struggling at his brother’s glare, looked at Ace. “Luffy knew, am I wrong?”

“I’m not sure… ask Marco.”

The phoenix, suddenly brought into the conversation, arched a brow. Ace looked at him, obviously waiting for an answer. He sighed.

“He knew all along, yoi.”

“That bastard…!!!”

Marco quickly restrained him, too. “What the hell is your problem?!”

“Akainu is going to kill Luffy, damn it!!”

As if waking up from a bad dream, they all watched in horror as, on the rapidly retreating marine ship, Akainu’s lava punch hit Luffy’s stomach. Crimson blood spluttered from the wound. The man fell, vanishing from their sights in a puff of black smoke.


	8. 08 – Shock

_Frrrrrrrr…._

Coby flinched. He hurriedly stood from his desk and reached for his marine cape. From a pocket, which he found black instead of pristine white, he took a squared piece of paper and hissed at the burning feeling on his fingers. His eyes widened at the meaning of that paper _burning_.

In a rush, without even looking at the piece in his hand, he ran towards his superior’s office. It was around midday and he stopped abruptly. He glanced at the paper, that was turning to ashes. In an instant, several possibilities clashed in his mind. Coby carefully erased the impossible ones, as Luffy had taught him, and analysed the others.

Whitebeard was respected throughout the seas not because he was a blood lusting pirate that knew no honour. The Yonko was respected because he was a feared man that kept his word until the end. He treasured his crew and never backstabbed anyone. A respected pirate that returned the respect to everyone that deserved it.

Luffy deserved it.

Whitebeard was not one that would have killed or hit a marine out of battlefield. He was civil. Most likely, the one behind the reaction of the Vivre Card was another…

Who.

Who dared to…

Wait…

The one carrying the exchange…

It was not possible… Right?

Why..

Coby shook his head and freed his mind. If that was really the case, he had to be quick and invisible. He made use of the Rokushiki, evading the guards patrolling. He entered the office, closing stealthily the door behind him. No one had noticed, good.

The office was dimly lit, papers scattered everywhere in a mess. The desk had almost disappeared. An old, big man was behind it, sitting on a red armchair, with fingers loosely interlaced under his chin and usually cheery eyes clouded with worry.

“What’s the matter, Coby?” He didn’t even lift his gaze.

“Vice Admiral Garp, Sir.” He approached the desk and propped forward the hand with the paper.

The man finally looked up and frowned. “Whose is it?”

“Rear Admiral Luffy.”

His eyes widened and he stood abruptly. “That son of a bitch…!!”

Coby flinched but didn’t leave his spot. “Sir..? I don’t personally think Whitebeard…”

“It’s not Whitebeard, brat.” Garp thundered through gritted teeth. “I know him, he wouldn’t have dared to injure my nephew.” He brushed a hand on his eyes. “It was Akainu.”

The pink-haired teen felt a hollow feeling at his suspicions being backed up. One question left, then.

“But, Sir, why..?”

“Because of my son.” The old man looked at the Vivre Card rapidly disappearing and felt his eyes get teary. “He’s not dead… He’s still alive, we must find him… Soon or…”

Coby didn’t want to think about it.

 

Whitebeard was… he had no words to describe how exactly he was feeling. Pained? Not exactly. Surprised? Not the good kind. Suffering? More like it, but still far from the right word. Hurting? Because of his sons’ heartbroken expression? Yes. That, he was.

He had seen what they had seen. The marine killed by another marine. By the Admiral, with an outburst of rage. He couldn’t understand why, he couldn’t fathom why. He could only watch, powerless. As Sabo lost the strength in his legs and fell on his knees, crying with wide eyes. As Ace fell, too, with his head in his hands and muffled yells leaving his mouth. As Marco’s indifferent mask cracked and showed a flicker of pure emotional pain mixed with unfathomable rage. As Izo screamed to his lungs’ limit, shocked and speechless. As Namur opened and closed his mouth endlessly, capacity of forming coherent thoughts completely lost.

For how much time had they held the marine captive? A week, maybe? And he had pierced the hearts of his sons so thoroughly. Marco… He had seen it coming, honestly. Izo was already caught in the nest, little fanboy. Namur had bonded with him through books and constructive conversations, but the lack of prejudice had been the key. Ace and Sabo… were another matter completely. He mentally noted to ask them and Marco, but…

First.

He needed to leave the island.

Whitebeard shook gently Marco’s shoulder. “Take Sabo and Ace.” He said as the phoenix tried to regain control. “We’re leaving.”

The older pirates took their mates and boarded, giving swift orders to sail away. The fleet was warned by Namur, that apparently needed something distracting to do. Marco, as soon as the island was already far away, crumbled to sit near the captain’s huge chair, face hidden by his hands. Sabo and Ace were sitting in front of it, back to back. The blonde was looking at the sea, silent tears signing his cheeks. The fire user was looking down at the floor, gritted teeth and bloody, trembling fists. Izo was nowhere to be seen, as was Thatch.

Whitebeard sighed silently before coughing softly. “Who was he?”

Ace flinched. Sabo turned his gaze on him, then back at the sea, even sadder then before. Marco _scoffed_. They were in a hurricane of too many emotions to answer without rage taking control. And he felt a lot at that moment, radiating from them like a whirlwind.

Better ask the calmer one, with a soft and understanding voice. “Sabo?”

The blonde sighed this time, as if he’d been expecting it would have been his duty to explain. He turned completely to his Oyaji, still leaning on Ace.

“He was… is…” He bit his lip. “He was my and Ace’s brother, when we were little.” The tears had not stopped yet. “Lu-Luffy protected us when we lived in the forest and taught us everything. Then, abruptly, he decided he wanted to become… a marine, instead of being a pirate like… he always bragged about.” The tears stopped and rage filled his eyes. “I knew there was something behind that. That old geezer..!”

A sigh from Marco made Whitebeard look at him. He was standing, blank mask in place and hands in pants’ pockets. He glanced at his brothers before speaking to pops.

“Luffy sacrificed his freedom to let them be free, yoi.” The graveness of their pasts made Newgate narrow his eyes. “He knew Ace was about to be captured and planned to be used as an exchange by us.”

“He knew that he would have been killed, too.” Ace’s voice was hoarse and struggled, pained and irate. “Akainu told me he would have killed someone… But how could I have known… Luffy is the one that can predict things, damn it!!”

“Lu tricked us all.” Sabo frowned. “Once more.”

Marco sighed shakily. “He’s… I can talk now. He saved Thatch from his comatose state, yoi.”

The importance of those words downed on the captain. A surge of gratefulness filled his chest. Then an indescribable desire for revenge. But he tuned that down. If he searched for vengeance, then the sacrifice the marine… the brat had done would have been for nothing.

He had walked towards his demise with a straight back, with acting skills, with loving desire to protect and save. Whitebeard had had his sons’ brother onboard and he had not known about it until too late. Obviously the brat’s desire to see the end of the deal and his brother… both his brothers safe.

Weren’t there other options? Other possibilities? He felt his own heart crack under the weight of these revelations. He could understand then Marco’s interest. Izo’s reverence. Namur’s respect.

It was as if… they had just lost a family member.

 

“I have a bad feeling…” Nami adjusted their route.

“Me, too.” Robin eye-smiled, her fingers toying with a straw hat. “But I can’t figure what about.”

“There’s only one of us absent, right?” Usopp was upgrading the Clima-Tact.

Chopper panicked. “Luffy…! Is Luffy in danger?!”

“Shut up.” Zoro was taking care of his swords. “And follow the route.”

“Yeah yeah…” She was, however, frowning. “I still…”

“The only thing we must do is follow the Captain’s orders and have faith in him.” Zoro said in a harsh tone. “He said to find someone, we’ll find that man.”

“Well, even if I don’t like agreeing with the stupid marimo…” Sanji climbed up the stairs with a tray of camomile filled cups. “We have to believe in Luffy and his plan.” He huffed a puff of smoke. “We can’t even trust the newspaper.”

Robin sighed. “It didn’t report about the exchange, the marines are covering the entire thing.”

“And that’s suspicious, in my opinion.” Usopp gave the weapon back to Nami. “We better be ready for anything that comes at us.”

“Or at Luffy.” Chopper had a determined glint in his eyes.

“It was a stupid suicide mission…” Nami gritted her teeth.

Brook tuned his violin for a relaxing melody. “He can’t be stopped once he’s determined to do something.”

Those words held a strange dissonance with their heartstrings. A dissonance that forebode a storm and an earthquake.

 

Red, narrowed eyes slid on the profile of the ships. A marine one was swiftly sailing away while the Whitebeard’s crew took some more minutes to disappear. He had thought to choose another island to rest a bit, given the unwanted presence, for a much-needed _silence_. But, the two parties had gone away soon, so he decked and landed, stretching his limbs.

He took off the wide-brimmed black hat with a large plume and the long, open black coat. He breathed in the unpolluted air and his lips curled up a fraction. He took the fishing pole from his boat and settled on a small cliff to pass the time. Loud chirps began reaching him, given the absence of marines and pirates altogether.

Thinking about it, it was strange for Whitebeard and Akainu to meet on a remote and unknown island. He should have taken the newspaper the days before, but he wasn’t in the mood to keep an eye on the world. He was feeling quite tired. Well, it was still morning, so the news coo was going to appear at any given moment.

Meanwhile, he would patiently, relaxingly and happily catch the peaceful moment…

Or not.

A loud crash brought his mind from cloud nine of peace to reality. Just when he was catching a fish, too. He stood, letting the fishing pole safely on shore, and went to discover what the problem was. In the middle of the little forest, smoke was lifting slowly in the air. He activated his Haki and detected a human’s presence. He wanted to scoff and leave.

But…

He knew that Haki. He knew that…

It couldn’t be possible.

The man rushed to the source and was met with the result of a crash. It seemed to him that someone had found it interesting to land without control on the island. Not really his idea of entertainment.

The afore-mentioned someone was, however, curled in a ball in the middle of the crater. Dark dust was in the air, moving and not falling, as if _orchestrated_ , as if… commanded to. A growing red puddle was underneath the man. The agonizingly familiar man.

He ran to him and gently untangled his limbs. He could recognize that face in a crowd. The blood was pouring out of a massive gush on his chest. The man cracked open an eye and smirked.

“Hey… Hawkeye… what’s up?”


	9. 09 – Hope

**REAR ADMIRAL MONKEY D LUFFY KILLED BY WHITEBEARD!!**

**PIRATE PORTGAS D ACE ESCAPES PUNISHMENT!**

 

[…] _… but, before Admiral Akainu Sakazuki could take Monkey D Luffy into custody, the Yonko Whitebeard did the unexpected. He pierced the Rear Admiral through the chest and threw him in the sea, never to be rescued again. And the pirate, Second Division Commander, Portgas D Ace, had already been exchanged. They fled, leaving the Marine Corp. without an incredible hero that saved countless countries from the pirates’ siege._

_He was, as you know, the nephew…_ […]

 

Izo crumpled the paper and launched it on the floor of the deck. He paid the crow, waiting on the railing, and read the first page.

 

**REAR ADMIRAL MONKEY D LUFFY REPORTED DEAD BY THE MARINES**

 

_It’s with great horror and unfathomable grieve that we report the possible death of our favourite marine. The official newspaper says it’s the Whitebeard’s pirates’ fault. We know it’s not possible. Whitebeard is a man that keeps his words. He’s honourable. He doesn’t betray the only key he has to free one of his sons._

_Let’s be honest. If Monkey D Luffy wanted, he could have escaped their custody easily and without flaws. He was there because, as we know, this marine loathes executions. He hates that people have to endure hardships because of blood. We can’t say the truth about Portgas D Ace, the one for which the Rear Admiral was going to be exchanged, without sending to hell what Luffy has done. We won’t. But we’ll say that the pirate was hunted down not only for being pirate, but because of his lineage. Isn’t it idiotic? Isn’t it unjustified?_

_However, the marines won’t give such an announcement without proofs backing it up. Someone saw the Rear Admiral die, Akainu Sakazuki, and we know how his absolute justice works. He stops at nothing in order to achieve it. This may be a hazardous hypothesis, but we think he has something to do with this mess._

_Plus, we want to make an announcement._

_How do you, dear readers, think we knew everything about him? Where he was, with who, doing what…_

_We have a piece of his Vivre Card._

_We know he’s alive._

_Fear not, because he is still alive._

 

His hands lost the grip on the paper and Izo blinked, wide”eyed.

Alive…

Was… was he… really…?

“Son, what’s the matter?”

Izo swallowed, took the black newspaper and offered it to his Captain. Whitebeard’s eyebrows shot up as he read the last part of the article. A wide smirk took place under the white moustache.

“Well, well… The brat still hasn’t kicked the bucket yet.” He looked down at Izo. “Make everyone read it.”

The cross-dresser took the paper and swallowed again. “And what then, Oyaji?”

“Gurararara…” Whitebeard’s eyes glinted. “That newspaper has a seat, right?”

Izo nodded. “But it’s a secret location. No one has ever found it.”

He stroked his moustache. “Maybe because it’s a ship, not an island… We’ll begin from the place where you found the first lead to it.”

“… What for, Oyaji?”

Whitebeard smirked fully. “To take the Vivre Card, of course.”

 

Ace felt… Indescribable. He was a tornado. A mix of anger and sadness and hurting and helplessness. He rubbed forcefully the tears out of his eyes and hugged again his legs.

Luffy was dead.

His… older brother… killed… by _marines_.

Hateful, stuck-up bastards with no morals.

How could they… How could he… Damn it!!

Luffy was not one to go down so easily… He was strong. He was cunning. He carefully chose his moves. He never made mistakes…!! Damn damn damn… DAMN!!

“Ace, you’ll make the crew faint.”

He looked up from his corner of the cabin. Sabo was sitting on his bed, the lower one, back on the wall and sight lost in the air. His eyes were dull, his lips were parted, his tears were still falling.

He swallowed, head on his arms. “You…” His voice broke for the fry throat. “Do you… still believe… that…” He couldn’t go on.

Sabo nodded slowly. “Ever since the beginning.” His tone was calm. “He saved us and our freedom. From being complete hindrances, we became his loved ones. And he sacrificed the most important thing he had for our sakes.”

At each word, a tear signed Ace’s cheeks. They hurt. They were spears in his chest. His heart squeezed, almost soundly, and a hiccup shook his body. Sabo heaved a short sigh before sliding off the bed and down on the wooden floor.

“I… I think he did it without regrets, at least.” He added after a hiccup of his own. “That was his way of living, after all.”

“He died.” Ace whispered angrily. “That’s not a way of _living_.”

The blonde regained sight and looked at his brother. “Are you going to be angry at him any longer?” Ace glanced up at the cold tone. “Because I’m sick of being angry and of seeing you angry. He doesn’t deserve it.”

The raven flinched at the harshness and bit back a retort that would have been right before knowing… Knowing… That they had always had a… loving older brother… And the tears started again. He quickly hid his face and muffled back the hiccups.

“I punched him.” The other said after a long pause. “When… When I saw him onboard… He took it and even grinned… Didn’t try to evade, didn’t try to stop me…” His voice became shaky. “He was _expecting_ it… Did he ever expect something good from us?”

Ace froze at that. The thought had never touched his mind… But it was… He’d always wanted to hit him and beat him up… Instead he should have given him a hug, at least.

When the cold words of his brother, the ‘slit your throat’ thing, had reached him, Ace had felt no malice. No danger. No _threat_. Nothing aside coldness and lack of feelings. Luffy had not wanted recognition. No whatsoever thanks.

“I guess he was just… fine knowing our wellbeing…”

“Shut up.” He muttered, shaking and _destroyed_. “I can’t take those anymore…”

Sabo fell silent. The room was filled with muffled hiccups and silent grieving.

 

He was not crying. He was bordering it, but Marco knew better than let the pain overcome him during the day, when he had things to do as first mate and First Division Commander. When he had to be an example. The night before had to be enough.

So, he strode through the corridor, greeting back his brothers and sisters, that congratulated him about getting Ace. They didn’t know about the real ending of the exchange. None of them had had the heart to report it yet.

He finally arrived at his door and hid quickly inside, sliding to the floor. All the strength mustered until then left him with a breath. His left leg was stretched while the other loosely bent. Marco brushed tiredly a hand on his face. He still couldn’t believe it.

It couldn’t be true. Must have been a trick of the light… An illusion… Something _false_. Because… It just… It was too…

Marco took a shaky breath, fighting down some traitorous tears. What was this feeling of helplessness? What was this desire to not concede? To not accept what he had seen… What was plaguing his mind with replays even more detailed than the reality…

Luffy had walked towards his death. He had known what happened was a possibility, but he had not cared. Ace’s safety had been his priority since the very beginning. But, as in every plan, there had been flaws, unpredictable variables. Like his damn feelings, that Marco knew were mutual… That were… Literally tearing his soul into pieces…

He was going through a pain ten times worse than when Thatch had been stabbed. It was an all-encompassing pain, an unfathomable tiredness, an inexplicable desire that it was all a nightmare. A too long, too real, too fucking painful nightmare.

He sighed, forcing himself to stand and search for his chair behind the desk. He sat lifelessly.

Despite everything, he was not angry at him. For not being told in advance... It was, after all, a choice. What would have he done once known the truth? Given up Ace? Given up Luffy? Which one? Was there another way? … What would have he done in the marine’s shoes?

He scoffed, finding his throat dry and his voice hoarse. Luffy had successfully made the choice in his stead, obviously not finding another possibility. In their steads. He had evaded a war, that would have torn the two ever-fighting parties. He had saved a pirate, giving his life away seemingly without regrets. He had saved a brother, acting all the way till the end as if he didn’t care in the least. And, instead, it was all because he cared.

It still seemed so impossible…

The man had been in his arms just instants before… He had been safe and peaceful and… _breathing_. With no wounds, with no enemies, with… with himself.

The more he thought about it, the more he regretted not stopping the exchange. What about Ace? Marco knew his pops. He would have stopped at nothing and he had been ready for war since the beginning.

And his mind was going in circles over the same things… The day before had been a bit more thoughtless. The pain had reigned his body.

His door barged open and Marco blinked away a stray tear. Izo was bended forward, hands on knees, panting heavily. The phoenix stood, worried, forgetting that he didn’t have the necessary strength to not fall with his hands on the desk.

The cross-dresser didn’t waste too much time in regaining his breath. He ran to the other and sprawled on the wooden surface a newspaper. Marco recognized it and silently read the article, expecting some heartfelt words of grieve. He found none.

Izo smirked happily as his brother fell on the chair, once more feeling his strength drained. “Wha…”

“They do not lie, I assure you.”

“But.. How…” Then it hit him.

The key.

The little detail that unconsciously made him hope. That made everything so hard to accept.

“He used it, yoi.” He said. “He freed his hands before being…”

Izo nodded. “That’s what me and Oyaji think, too. Marco…” His tone softened. “You probably saved his life.”

The pirate froze.

It was… basically… true… right…?

He’d had the idea of giving the key to him… He’d wanted to protect Luffy…

A traitorous smile crept on his lips. He had given him a chance… But then… Where was he?

Marco stood, taking the newspaper. “What did pops say?”

Izo straightened, smiling fully. “We’re heading to their seat... Well, searching for it. If they have his Vivre card, we can use it and track him. He…” The smile fell. “We don’t know if…”

The other circled his desk and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “We have a lead, we’ll make use of it. It’s true we can’t be sure of his safety, but it’s something. Did you tell Ace and Sabo?” The other shook his head. “Leave it to me, yoi. Go tell pops everything that may be useful.”

The crossdresser quickly left the room. Marco’s features hardened. It was a hope, yes, but… Izo failed to see an important point. He briefly recalled what he’d seen. Luffy falling, vanishing from their sights in a puff of black smoke.

Black smoke… Had it something to do with the Devil Fruit? Highly probable.

The true problem, the one that was right then churning his stomach, was another. If he was truly still alive, and he had at least been at that moment and afterwards, then he had not been on the marine ship anymore. And that meant… he most probably had hidden on the island.

They had abandoned him.

Unknowingly. But they had.

He took a deep breath, feeling somewhat stronger. He was not going to waste the possibility of Luffy being still alive. And, if he really was, then Marco had every intention of tying the man to himself and never again let him go.


	10. 10 – Weekly Black Journal

Marco walked through the empty corridor. All his brothers were helping with setting sail and tracing a route thanks to Izo’s directions. The crew had been informed of the happenings of the day before and almost all were eager to find out if their former host was truly still alive. For different reasons than his own – they didn’t know every detail – but it was a comforting factor.

He quickly reached the room of the brothers and didn’t bother knocking. Marco opened the door and surveyed the damage. Both were sitting on the floor, face hidden in their arms or legs. Ace was against the wall, Sabo with his back on the bed’s side. They didn’t even notice his presence until he cleared his throat and crossed his arms, drumming his fingers on the opposite elbows.

“Marco…?” Sabo weakly said.

“Yes, that’s me, yoi.”

“What?” The phoenix thought he was done with Ace’s aggressive treatment.

“I’m here to give you good news. Do you want it or have I to disappear?” He may be feeling a little resentful.

Ace arched an angry brow. “What the hell–”

“What good news?” At least, one of them was still thinking.

Marco looked once more, just to be sure it hadn’t been a beautiful dream, over the article. He then launched it at Sabo. The blonde grabbed the paper and slowly read the page. His brows shot up.

“Wha…”

His eyes swiftly drank every word. His mouth opened, dropping to the floor. The happiness, however, was still visible amidst the surprise. Sabo looked up at him.

“Is.. Is this reliable?” He swallowed.

Ace put in his anger. “What’s the matter!”

“Izo is a big fan of your brother, yoi. He’s always been. After knowing of your hate towards marines, he thought it was better not telling you two about it.” He explained. “That newspaper has been, so far, his way of knowing everything about him, yoi.” He sighed. “I think it’s reliable. And that’s why… We’re currently searching for their seat.”

Sabo’s eyes got teary. Big, round tears started slipping on his cheeks and dripping from his chin. Ace blinked. Marco almost smiled.

“But… How?”

“What’s going on?!”

“I think it’s thanks to his Devil Fruit, whatever that is.”

Sabo looked down, blinking. “Black dust.”

Marco nodded. “It’s better than nothing, yoi.”

“Ok, I’m fed up. You tell me now what the hell–…”

“Luffy may be alive.” Sabo stood, smiling, eyes full of the same hope Marco was feeling. “Our nii”san may still be alive…” The blonde passed the newspaper to the raven and Ace displayed similar expressions.

“What the fuck is this?!”

Sabo oh-so-gently smacked his head. “Language! Haven’t you heard our conversation just now?”

Ace grumbled, massaging his bump. “Yeah, yeah, I heard…” He looked at Marco. “If… If this is true, doesn’t it mean that… We abandoned him?”

The phoenix looked away. “Probably true.”

Sabo just stayed silent.

 

“I said to speed up, what’s with this slowness?!”

“S-sorry, Rear Admiral Smoker!”

“Don’t apologize, hurry up!”

Yes. He was grumpy. He was angry. He was even hasty.

How the hell did things become so… So… Messy… Luffy was a trouble-maker, always been, but… All of what was happening… Was on a whole new level. A dangerous level…

First, he had come to him with a crazy plan to free a to-be-prisoner of the marines, a brother and Smoker’s… He sighed. What were they? He didn’t know anymore… Whatever. He had asked for help. Smoker had helped, sneakily and without arising suspicions. That was not all he had helped with, he was currently waiting for the other favour.

But back to the _mess_. Luffy had successfully boarded a no-name pirate’s ship, the kind of idiot that gets allured by the idea of defeating a weak Yonko. As if, what idiocy… Well, thank whatever that those people existed, he guessed.

Smoker didn’t exactly know what happened onboard the Moby Dick, but he knew what the newspaper’s main articles for a few days had been about. Ace captured. Luffy held captive. Silence. … Luffy’s death.

He had read that pile of bullshits ten times and ten more. It was all shit over shit and… Bluntly impossible. Whitebeard was a pirate, but he was not as stupid as to kill a Rear Admiral during an exchange. And Luffy was surely not one to be killed so easily. If the brat had been killed at first try, then he had not tried to evade. The raven was not the type to stay put when threatened. Smoker knew that even too well…

But, what was important, he knew Luffy was alive. Wounded, probably by something that burnt, given the state of his Vivre card, but _alive_. And that had to suffice for the moment being. The piece of paper was scorched, but not burning anymore. That meant Luffy had somehow managed to, not only escape death, but even to escape whoever wanted to kill him, _safely_. Smoker had a huge suspicion who that was.

He felt angry. At the world, to be exact. Because _daring_ to try killing Garp’s grandson, a Rear Admiral, a capable young man, his friend… Smoker was compressing so much anger in his body that his smoke started to take strange, ominous shapes all around his persona. Scaring the living shits out of his subordinates.

The marine looked at the deck, searching for Tashigi. She was leaning on the wooden rail with determined but teary eyes. A sigh escaped his lips. The lad better be all right, in more ways than bodily, or he’ll have to answer for making his most loyal subordinate cry.

What a mess.

“Ship on the horizon!”

Smoker swiftly looked forward, narrowing his eyes. There was a little, maybe approaching, shape. He took his spyglass and, as the ship neared them, he recognized the lion figurehead.

“They’re allies.” He said. “Get near them.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Allies?” Tashigi had reached his side. “Who?”

He held back a sigh. “The brat’s crew.”

 

“I TOLD YOU I NEEDED THAT INFO FOR YESTERDAY’S EDITION!!!”

“Come on, it’s been hard to find~~….”

“I DON’T CARE!! THE NEWSPAPER HAS ALREADY BEEN SENT THIS MORNING!!”

“And what am I supposed to do~~~……. That island was super hard to track.”

Well… That may be true…

“Whatever… I don’t even know any more if we should put the info in the article.”

Bartolomeo straightened a bit in his fluffy armchair. “I agree. He needs resting, after being pierced with a lava punch.”

“As always, Lady Luck favours the right ones!” Gambia had just lost all his anger, fawning over his star with hearty eyes.

The other frowned. “Trying to blame Whitebeard, seriously…” Strangely, he was not really in the mood for fanboying around.

“You can’t declare war on the World Government.” The blonde countered.

“HELL YES I CAN!!” He stood, their places swapped as anger flared. “THAT FUCKER AKAINU TRIED TO KILL HIM!!”

“I’m equally angry, Captain, but we’re not the only ones.” Gambia slowly said. “This event will have many repercussions and, with our article going around for an entire week, each of our followers, everyone that had at heart his safety, even his colleagues and family… Who will not move, civilians aside?”

Bartolomeo fell back on his armchair and grumbled something like: “We count, too.”

“Of co–…”

“PIRATES APPROACHING!!”

The green-haired smirked. “Oh, I can kill? Marvellous~~…”

They both stood, leaving the office to reach the deck. Bartolomeo looked around. There was a big ship coming near them. He didn’t need to bark orders as his crew readied for the attack and the shape got bigger. His eyes widened.

“That’s Moby Dick.”

Bartolomeo turned to Gambia. “No shits Sherlock.”

“So? Orders?”

The other shrugged. “Guess I won’t get to kill anyone…”

“Ooookay… GUYS! Don’t engage combat! Wait for them to come near!”

The ship did indeed reach theirs. It was a lot bigger, resembling a whale, as legends told. Bartolomeo didn’t bother trying to make contact. They did the first move. Precisely, the First Division Commander and some female-dressed male. Izo, if his memory was serving him right, a Division Commander.

He mocked a bow with flourishes. “Why, what an honour.”

“Are you the one that writes the Weekly Black Journal?” Oh, straight to the point, the phoenix.

Bartolomeo narrowed his eyes. “What if?” How would someone like Whitebeard or his crew know of its existence, by the way?

“Pops wants to talk to you, yoi.”

The cross-dresser cleared his throat. “I knew of your journal and we read of… Of…” He blushed.

Bartolomeo arched a brow as Marco sighed. “We read you know Luffy is alive, yoi.” Then, he added, right index pointing at the other: “He’s a huge fan.”

Oh. Well… That could work. Fine.

“Ok.” He shrugged. “My Vice comes with me, though.” He pointed his left thumb behind, where Gambia was.

“Whatever.”

The four jumped onboard Moby Dick. The green-haired quickly noticed how not every member of the crew was on deck, waiting for the meeting. Sure, someone walked by sometimes, giving them the curious glance, but the welcoming party was another.

Whitebeard was sitting on a huge chair. The freaking man surely induced a foreign fear in his very bones. Fire-Fist Ace and Pipe-Demon Sabo were standing on his left, the first with an angry scowl, the second with a forced smile. On the right was the Fourth Division Commander, Thatch, in a wheelchair. Ah, right… Blackbeard.

The one behind all this mess.

The bastard that forced his idol to…

“Brat.” Damn Haki… “What’s the problem with my son?”

“Oh, nothing at all~.” He held back a shiver. “Makes me remember a certain shit roaming the seas~.” How did his idol manage to stay onboard… Oh, so awesome!

The Yonko nodded thoughtfully. “Do you know why we are here?” In the meantime, Izo had moved to Thatch’s side and Marco was near the other two.

Bartolomeo swallowed subtly. “From the phoenix mentioning Luffy, guess the Rear Admiral made home in your hearts.” Hook and line. “You want the Vivre card.” Awesome, Bartolomeo. Pat on the shoulder.

Whitebeard grinned. “Correct, brat.”

“Before that…” Gambia scratched his nape. “We know you’re not to blame, but… Really, what happened?”

Everyone flinched, apart Whitebeard, that just lost his grin. It was Marco that answered.

“Akainu used his lava against Luffy once they boarded the marine ship. He was still cuffed, but I had given him the key before the exchange, yoi. I guess he calculated the best moment to get free and survived, someway.”

Bartolomeo blinked. Was that sadness that had slipped in his tone? Was that anger in his eyes? Luffy’s doing, alright. So fucking awesome!!

“I see…” Gambia fake-smiled, hiding his own fury.

The green-haired scowled. “We were right, then… The Vivre card we have is an entire paper, so we’ll give you a piece. Know that it stopped burning some days ago, so he may be completely safe right now.” His vice jumped on their ship to retrieve it. “We also know who saved him.”

They tensed, wide-eyed. “How?” Pipe-demon asked.

“We have many contacts.” He lied. “We were going to follow the lead to make sure of his safety, but…” Gambia appeared next to him with a scorched piece of paper. “We’ll leave it to you.” He divided it in two parts, holding up to them one. “We don’t want to risk his career being seen with our lots.”

The phoenix took it. “I don’t think that matters anymore, yoi.”

Bartolomeo scowled. “You may be right. Just…” He sighed. “Send us some good news, ok?”

Whitebeard nodded. “We will.”

“I’ll use the crow. Thank you.” Izo said with a smile.

“Keep on cheering for him! He’s too awesome~~!!”

Ace wanted to groan. The cross-dresser cheered with him. Marco shook his head. Whitebeard laughed, although quietly. Sabo smiled. Thatch… scowled.

 

He blinked his eyes open. The first thing he registered was the light. Then, the pain. Luffy gritted his teeth, silently cussing colourfully. The memories of what happened to him slowly came back and he seethed, damning his superior and the _mess_ all of this was going to cause.

He painfully lifted a hand to massage his eyes and force them open. It was a white room that resembled an infirmary. Who could have saved him…

Mihawk.

A smile bloomed on his mouth and he collected enough strength to push himself seated on the fluffy bed. Hissing for the pain, an eyelid flipped closed. He looked through a window and recognized the island immediately. Feeling somewhat safe, Luffy checked better the room. Near his bed was a drawer with a lamp, wet clothes and bandages.

For how many days had he been out of it? Several, if the bloody bandages on the farther corner of the room were any hint. Damn Akainu… All this trouble for the fucking Absolute Justice. Going so far as to kill a Rear Admiral… He had surely announced his death, already. Not having a body, the geezer wouldn’t have been too sure, after all…

He had blamed Whitebeard. For sure. The damn numbness in his head was killing him, but he had to act quickly. Damn Akainu, damn medicines and damn painful wound!

He purposefully ignored the pang in his heart as the image of the gaping pirates flooded his mind. It was not the right moment to think about it. They didn’t know he was alive, so he had to act in the shadows once again and make sure his brothers were safe. Marco, too… Only because he was to check on the pirate’s crew, after all…

He blushed lightly. It was not supposed to happen. Yet, he had let it happen…

And his own crew… They were supposed to meet with Smoker. He would have known what to do, once the news reached him. With Luffy dead, the crew was in danger. Thank God no one had his Vivre Card, that would have caused such a mayhem and… he didn’t even want to think about it.

No, he was dead. He was a ghost walking. Not a marine anymore? More than fine. Not a pirate, that was, unfortunately, out of question. A bounty, hunters… no. No, he needed to be invisible.

The door opposite his bed opened.

Mihawk was wearing simple black trousers and a white, laced shirt. He looked at him, blinking twice, before frowning.

“Why are you seated…”

Luffy tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips. “Because…” He cleared his throat, dry for being unused. “I wanted to.”

The swordsman sighed, entering and sitting on the edge of the bed. “Ten days.” He looked at the other, serious. “I’m not a doctor, I had to confide in a colleague.” Luffy nodded, glancing at the bandages all over his chest. “Trafalgar Law.” Ah, good choice. “He’s downstairs, resting. He’s been taking care of you every day.” He had to thank him.

“Why did he help?”

Mihawk shrugged subtly. “I can’t fathom. Ask him.”

Luffy nodded. “News from the World?”

The other darkened. “Akainu announced you killed by Whitebeard the day after I found you.” The younger one scowled. “I didn’t know about the whole ordeal, else…”

He swiftly, but painfully, gripped the other’s shoulder. “It’s fine. I was playing the captive to free Ace, Mihawk. I planned it. Several things went good, better than I thought…” He bit his lip. “Others, I couldn’t have expected.”

“A suicide plan.”

Luffy cringed at the scolding glare. “To my defence, I was doing the exact thing I did when I joined the Marines.” The glare didn’t soften. “Uhm… I’m sorry?”

“Say that to those that think you’re dead.”

Harsh… “I most likely won’t.” If possible, the glare hardened. “Well… I’ll go into hiding. I’m dead, after all.”

Mihawk faltered at that. “Why.”

“Because Akainu tried to kill me? Because no one, aside you, knows I’m alive? Because I’m not a marine anymore? Because I want to watch over my brothers from the shadows?”

He didn’t answer for a while. “I don’t like that.”

Luffy smiled softly. “Maybe it’s not the best… But how can I protect them if not–…”

“Not that.” He _sighed_. “You’re sure stubborn.” Mihawk stood, going to the door. “It you’re not a marine anymore, why go into hiding? Protect them by being _with_ them. For now, though…” He waved some Haki. “Rest, or I’ll force Trafalgar to tranquilize you.”

The man left and Luffy chuckled after the door closed. With them, huh? A nice dream… They believed he was dead… And that must have been already a huge blow… Suddenly appearing safe and sound after such a fright? It was like asking to be killed. No, thanks…

He laid back on the bed, hissing a bit, and fell in a forced sleep.


	11. 11 – Relief

Honestly… Why did he steal hairs from him just to make a Vivre Card… He couldn’t have expected that…

Well… Maybe from Coby, he should have. The boy was too much a worrywart to stay put. Seeing Garp didn’t exactly make Luffy more prone to forgive the pink-haired, anyway. The old geezer was leaking Haki everywhere, making half Torao’s crew faint, while the other half barely stood. Few were unfazed, Law included. And Mihawk, obviously, that was glaring at him while protecting the stairs to Luffy’s room. He was watching from the corner near the balustrade of the first floor, carefully hiding his presence.

“I know he’s here, let me through!”

Luffy sighed.

“No, he’s healing and bed-ridden. Go away from my island.”

Lovable. Hawky was as lovable as always. He had to properly thank him, again.

“Like hell I will!! Let me see my grandson!!”

Another sigh escaped his lips. What a headache… Was the old geezer considering that the presence of a Vice Admiral in the near vicinity of that island was going to attract a lot of _unwanted_ attention? Of course not.

“I said, no.”

“I don’t fucking care!!”

“You can’t go upstairs. Either you wait for him to be fine or you leave.”

Luffy didn’t like the first, and…

“We’ll wait.”

Coby… Ugh… Why, what was wrong with his life… Even if he was happy the geezer cared so much for him… Couldn’t he read the situation? Honestly..!

Luffy slowly and silently stood, thinking it was better to at least _act_ as the bed”ridden man he was supposed to be. The heavy door opening made him go back to his spying corner. Who else now… Oh, Smokey… A Vivre Card… Him, too? Mother-hens… And, obviously, his whole crew… Tashigi, too.

“I didn’t think the island of a Shichibukai could be a tourist location for so many marines.” Law commented, drinking his tea.

The wide living room, with black walls and floor, red carpets and dark wooden furniture, was filled and Luffy carefully checked everyone. Smoker had his trade-mark two lit cigars in his mouth, seemingly calm, but he could see the worry in his eyes. Tashigi was far more obvious in her distress. Behind them, Zoro was totally at ease, completely fine in his trainer’s home and probably utterly sure about Luffy’s well-being. Sanji was fascinated by the overall magnificence and probably agreed with his Vice on the last point. Nami and Robin were focused on Mihawk, glaring and demanding. Soon enough, the two were going to cross their arms and demand verbally. But the swordsman was not likely to fall so easily. Chopper was hiding in his own way behind Brook’s legs, that was deadly silent and unreadable as always… Perks of being a skeleton. When the singer wanted, he could hide everything behind his bones. Franky was looking around, worried and, thus, angry at the same time. Usopp was _visibly_ worried, biting his lips and almost breaking skin.

Luffy sighed. He wanted to meet them… Why hadn’t they come _before_ gramps?!?

“Where is Luffy?” Smoker asked.

Mihawk, irritated for the more than bearable occupation of his safe heaven, glared. “Resting.”

The marine nodded, took a seat and poured himself some tea. Luffy almost snickered.

“Wait!” Nami.. “We need to see our Captain!”

“Not yet, he’s resting.”

“B-but…”

“Has he seen a doctor, at least?” Robin put in her two cents.

Mihawk nodded, tilting his head to Law. “He’s a surgeon.”

“Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death…” Sanji lit a cigarette and made himself at home, preparing more tea. “Good hands, huh…”

Three… Two… One…

“WHAT!!!” Chopper, Usopp, Nami and Brook yelled in a chorus.

“It was my pleasure…” Law began, and they started assuming a dark background. “… To stitch him back and keep him alive. No need to thank me.”

Zoro, however, looked at him and bowed. “There is, instead. Thank you for taking care of our Captain.”

Law shrugged. “I owe him, anyway.”

Garp and Coby just sat, too, defeated.

Nami coughed a bit. “You said… Stitches?”

The pirate shook his head. “He had a deep wound on his chest, cauterized fortunately, that needed more than ‘ _stitches_ ’. Akainu’s job, I suppose.” Almost everyone paled. “Without my Devil Fruit Powers, he would have been long dead.”

Luffy stood and decided to at least make himself _alive_ to their eyes. He was suffering seeing them suffering. To hell his grandfather. He walked slowly, wary of his… a bit bloody bandages and checking the too big black trousers were in place. He cleared his throat.

The effect was instantaneous. Sanji smiled, visibly reassured. Franky yelled. Zoro smirked, probably smug for being right since the beginning. Robin finally smiled. Usopp, Chopper, Nami, Brook, Coby… And Garp… Got teary-eyed, jumped and started running towards him at a frightening speed. Instinctively, Luffy lifted his hands to protect his healing wounds. They, fortunately, stopped at the wall named Mihawk, that was glaring at them with crossed arms.

“I said…” He emphasized every word. “… He’s resting.” He glared at Luffy. “ _Go rest._ ”

The raven smiled, looking at the others. “Sorry, I’m a guest… I’ll–…”

The door opened again, slowly this time. Luffy couldn’t believe his eyes. They widened. His mouth opened. His hand was lifted to cover it. How could they have… How could he… Just… how…

“Sorry for intruding, yoi.” He bowed slightly, not looking at him. “I know your host is convalescent, but I need to have a serious and private conversation with him.” He locked gazes with Mihawk. “May I?”

Luffy dreadfully looked at the swordsman, that eyed him curiously. The smirk following made the raven swallow.

“You may.”

…

Shit.

Marco gazed over him, from head to toe, lingering more on the bandages and stopping on his eyes.

He couldn’t look back.

Luffy ran.

He ignored the angry shouts of the others, focusing on the one that was currently chasing after him. His chest ached, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t see him. Not yet. Not Marco. The one he had allowed to pierce through his walls. The one that had almost immediately seen through his lies. The one that…

“Do you want that wound to reopen, yoi?”

Minding said wound, Luffy took a right turn, heading for the hopeful safety of his room/infirmary. His chest pulled skin and he hissed, gripping the handle of the door. He only managed to open it.

An arm had sneaked around his waist. The other hand gripped his wrist. Luffy quickly hid his face from the man, making use of the wooden door. His eyes stung, his chest tightened. He was in pain, different from the physical one coming from his wound.

“You won’t even face me.”

His tone was so soft and pained that Luffy flinched. But didn’t move, he had not the bravery to. What would he have seen? A pain he wasn’t prepared to face… The pirate was right.

Marco used his grip on the wrist to turn Luffy to him. He kept his gaze low, hair shadowing his eyes. The other let go of his waist and caressed his cheek, stopping at the chin. He gripped it and forced the man to look up. The raven didn’t have the strength to oppose it. Slowly, he let his eyelids lift, gazing upon the pirate. Though the expression was only slightly cracked, his eyes were a vortex. He recognized some emotion lurking in there… The ones that captured completely his mind were the relief… And…

Two demanding lips captured his own and a known tongue invaded his mouth. Luffy got overwhelmed by a sudden rush of passion. He felt _possessed_ , pushed to the door, that opened more, by the unexpectedly wild sensations and the man’s hands. They were softly clawing and touching and brushing on his neck, arms, sides… A muffled, low moan escaped his throat. It was then that Marco put an end to the heated exchange.

Their foreheads were against one another, puffs of their breath mixing. And Luffy couldn’t look at other things than the man’s clouded eyes.

“You’re alive…” He suddenly whispered, voice broken. “You’re alive… You’re really here…”

The tears Luffy had restrained till then slipped through his control. He felt the wet lines on his cheeks. Marco lifted his hands, cupping lightly the other’s jaw. His thumbs rubbed the tears away. The usual mask cracked more and the pirate smiled softly, a single tear escaping.

“I couldn’t… believe…” Something died in Marco’s throat.

Luffy lifted his own hand to the other’s cheek. “You saved me, you know that…?”

He nodded. “And then we abandoned you…”

“You… you saw me… die.” The raven swallowed, willing the tears to stop. “I… I’m sorry… I didn’t know who… It was not sure… I…”

Marco slid his arms around the other’s shoulders, softly hugging Luffy. The raven let him and circled the pirate’s torso.

“You’re alive… That’s all that matters… You wanted to protect your brothers… Our brothers…”

Finally stopping his tears, Luffy inhaled deeply. “That doesn’t mean I couldn’t have been more cautious… I can’t even imagine…”

“They want to meet you, yoi.” Marco loosened the hug, locking gazes with him. “The shadow of Mihawk’s power won’t hinder them forever, but I managed to buy some time.”

Luffy sighed. “They’re angry, right…”

The pirate paused. “… I’ll leave that for you to discover, yoi. For now… I’m tired…” He leaned his forehead on Luffy’s shoulder.

The raven tightened his embrace, smiling softly. “I don’t think Hawky will have something against you sleeping here.”

Marco frowned. “Don’t tempt me, yoi… I might just open that wound again if I could have my ways with you.” Luffy blushed. “Just wait that it heals completely…” He smirked, taking the other’s hand.

The pirate led him to the bed and they fell onto it. The raven was in the other’s arms, face pressed against his firm chest. Their breaths evened. Luffy felt inexplicably peaceful and so much _protected_ that he snuggled closer and hummed.

“Don’t ever pull that stunt again, yoi.” Marco said just before closing his eyes. “My heart might not survive it.”

Luffy took the man’s hand and interlaced their fingers tightly. “I’m sorry…”

Marco sighed, kissing his forehead. “At least, allow me to help… next time.”

The raven smiled. “Ok.”

It didn’t mean Marco was going to let something like that happen again.

 

“Why did you let him go alone?”

Strange. “Why are you so calm about it?”

Ace scratched his nape. “Well, it’s Marco after all…” Even though five days had already passed. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Oh, you’re right.”

Silence. The fire user felt a vein throb on his forehead. “Sabo, answer me.”

The other sighed. “No specific reason.”

“Liar.” Ace stood from his place on the floor and punched his shoulder. “Tell me the truth!”

“Ouch! Ace! Stop it!”

“Spill what you’re thinking!”

“It’s nothing, really!”

“… Sabo, you really think I can’t tell when you’re lying?”

“Ugh.. Ace, seriously…” He earned another punch. “Hell, drop it!!”

“No! What’s the matter?!”

“I’m afraid!!”

Ace blinked, taken aback. “Afraid… of Luffy?”

“N-not exactly…” Sabo diverged his gaze, half-pouting. “What… What if he…”

A mumble… and some not understandable mutters later… “Talk properly!”

He flinched. “Ok! Fine!” He huffed. “If he was… If he was able to escape Akainu… then, he went to the island… Why… why didn’t he come on Moby?”

Ace blinked. That was… Why hadn’t he thought about it?

“He… he could have, we’ve waited a bit before leaving, so… So… Why?”

“I… don’t know…” He honestly didn’t. “You have an idea?”

Sabo nodded slowly, hugging his legs on the bed. “What if… He didn’t want us to know he survived?”

Ace arched a brow. “What the hell! Why would he?!”

“Well… He did protect us from afar all this time… I don’t have proof of this, but…”

“I think so, too, get to the point!”

“Fine, fine! Geez… What if he wanted to go on that way? Feigning being… you know… and hiding in the shadows. That’s his style, after all…”

Ace still failed to see the point of that all. “So?”

Sabo blinked, looking at him. “’So?’” He mouthed. “We’re going against what he wants!”

The other shrugged. “And?”

“ _And_ , once more, we’re not believing in him!”

He tch’ed. “I don’t care.”

“You ungrateful stubborn–…”

“Sabo, what do you want?” Ace crossed his arms, glaring.

“What are you talking about?”

“Personally, I’m tired of this situation. I want my _brother_ back. And I want him back _now_. You say he doesn’t want us knowing? Fuck it.” He nodded, thoughtful. “Ok, that’s it. I’m going.”

Ace left the room. And a gaping Sabo. That was slowly processing his words. He stood abruptly when they sank and rushed behind him.

“Ace stop!!”

He quickly climbed the stairs and ran after his brother to the deck. It was raining, so few people were there. He recognized Ace far away, on the railing, jumping down.

Jumping down.

Sabo clearly remembered Marco forbidding it.

Shit.

A Shichibukai’s island.

Double shit.

He gritted his teeth and followed him, ignoring his own mind shouting at him to stop and the shivers because of the water on his clothes. The thick rain prevented the blonde to see his surrounding, so he focused on the running figure in front of him.

“Ace, stop!!”

He was fairly sure the other had answered with ‘Like hell!’, but the downpour was muffling sounds all around and the distance wasn’t shortening. A big shadow covered Ace and Sabo lost his sight. He went on running and something similar to a door, but big, let outside a warm light. He successfully passed through before it closed and was met with an almost full, enormous living room.

There were a lot of people… A robot…? A Shichibukai playing chess with a marine?… Was that a _skeleton_ drinking tea…? But, as interesting as that group seemed, his eyes landed on a bigger figure that was looming over a shocked Ace.

He had just touched the triple shit.

What the fuck was Garp doing there?!?

“Why the fuck are you here.” Ace growled in his stead.

“Is that any way to greet your grandfather, brat?!”

Sabo felt his blood freeze. “You? Grandfather? When, exactly?”

Garp lifted his head to look at him. “Sabo’s here, too? What a family reunion! Bwahahahaha!!”

How much thick-headed must one be to not read the atmosphere? Ace was gritting his teeth, fists clenched and shivering in rage at his sides. Sabo was wearing a cold and calculative expression, crossing slowly his arms and shooting glares. Garp was still smiling in utter idiocy when someone cleared his throat, making the two brothers turn.

Now, Sabo knew this one. Thanks to Ace’s ramblings. His brother, because of his stubbornness and his hate towards marines, was still in the denial phase. He peeked at him and his lips twitched at the agape mouth and crimson blush.

“I see Luffy’s plan succeeded.”

The blonde, checking his brother all the while, looked around. They had everyone’s attention but a green-haired man with three swords and a pink-haired marine. He recognized Mihawk, that was standing with his back to black marbled stairs, as if blocking the way.

“Y-yes… I suppose…” His blush darkened.

Three girls were chatting over tea and snacks, stealing glances at them. A… uhm… brown… fluffy… yeti… was sumo-wrestling the blue-haired robot. The two had just then lost interest. A long-nosed afro-man was on the floor, messing with a strange mechanism. A blonde was smoking a cigarette and, though checking on the scene, arguing with the green-haired one.

“That’s good. He’s reassured now, at least.”

Trafalgar Law… The Surgeon of Death. Why was he there? Shichibukai’s were known for their hate for each other… Was it maybe to heal Luffy?

“Reassured…?”

“Your brother. I’ve been waiting to check on him and thank him for some days.”

And the pink-haired marine was playing chess with him. The skeleton had a black afro and was playing the violin while laughing strangely.

… Wait… Thank him? Had he heard those words?

Sabo turned slowly to the smoker marine and his brother, that were nearer to one another. Ace’s blush, that was more on a pink shade by then, returned after processing the other’s words. He almost saw smoke come out of the fire-user’s ears. Though happy for the obvious show of care, a movement behind the balustrade took his attention.

“T-thank him…?”

He recognized Marco. The man was tugging something with his hand. Luffy appeared. Sabo suffered immediately a replay of what he had seen the day of the exchange. His eyes started leaking tears without any restrain. Luffy looked down and blinked, worry rapidly clouding his eyes. In a flash, the raven was in front of him, gripping his shoulders.

“Sabo, what’s wrong?! What happened?!”

The blonde opened and closed his mouth twice, trying to form a coherent sentence. He failed. Then, he clutched his brother’s torso in his arms, hiding his face in the crook of the other’s neck and letting everything out. He felt Luffy stiffen for a long second, but then he relaxed and the hands on his shoulders slid to completely hug him back. One massaged his head and hair softly.

“It’s okay… I’m sorry… Everything’s alright… Don’t worry…”

He felt an arm detach, lifted to where Ace was, maybe. After some moments, someone clashed into them and they fell with their knees on the floor. Sabo felt an arm he knew on his shoulders and a new wet sensation on his shirt.

“You two haven’t changed one bit… This takes me back…” Luffy said in-between sweet nothings. “You were always crying when I was wounded…”

Sabo sniffed. “O-of course..!”

“It was… always… our fault…”

The hand on his scalp made rougher movements. “It was not. It was my choice.”

“Y-you… were protecting *sniff* us…” The blonde countered.

“T-thank you… Lu-nii…”

The arm around him tightened and Sabo felt so _safe_ and _calm_ … It was exactly like in the past, like when they were children… Little brats always causing and searching for troubles… Only to be rescued by their big brother… That often ended up wounded, sometimes harshly, to protect them…

“D-don’t do… that a-*sniff*-again…” He warned Luffy.

“Yeah… D-don’t.”

The following chuckle warmed his and Ace’s insides. It was a sound they had not heard in years…

The two cried even more.


	12. 12 – Last Guest

It was time to visit his old friend, after all.

Uhm… He hadn’t seen the swordsman in a while.

That wasn’t good for a well-built relationship like theirs.

Nope.

He and Mihawk hadn’t partied together in months!

…

Ok, maybe not… Less than a month prior the swordsman _had_ stopped by… To tell him to stay away because he was going on a vocation on his favourite, peaceful, people- _free_ island… And they had partied…

But!

That was not the point!

Uhm… The point was… Was…

What was the point, again…?

Oh! He needed to visit him! Because the island, on which he was supposed to be, was empty. His friend was not on his vacation anymore! He needed to see him and be sure he was alright! A normal, worried, caring friend’s act.

Didn’t matter Luffy’s Vivre Card was pointing at the Shichibukai’s home island… Nope, it wasn’t important to him.

…

Why would it?

No. It wasn’t like the brat’s safety was on his list of things to be sure of… Or like he was worried sick because he _had_ read both the official newspaper and the Black Journal. He wasn’t even aware the latter existed! In fact, it didn’t! Tché.

As if.

He pouted and crossed his arms, looking through the thick rain to see the island they were rapidly reaching.

Oh, joy. He hoped Luffy was fine… How did he end up in Mihawk’s hands, by the way…

Ah! No! He didn’t care! At all! Because, hell, the brat had broken their promise!

… Uhm… Ugh… Not _completely_ … Still! He became a marine!! He was meant to be a _pirate_! Why………. WHY?!?!

“Captain, you’re sulking. Again.”

He let a tear slid and pouted childishly. “I’m not.”

“You are. Just admit you’re worried.”

“I am _not_.” Damn first mate and his non-existent respect.

A strong and big hand came down on his shoulder. “You are, Captain! We all are!”

“Traitorous crew…” He glared at the meat-eating man. “You should abide to my desires and not care about him!”

The other arched a brow. “We would, maybe, if you were serious about it.”

The red-haired groaned. “Roo…… Ben…… Why do you not support your Captain..?!” He fake-cried.

“Because…” They said in unison. “… You’re lying to yourself.”

Shanks actually cried this time. “I’m not!!”

“Yes, you are.” Ben sighed. “Come on, you know he didn’t want to become a marine… We even know why he did, why are you so stubborn?”

“He broke a promise!”

“He did it for his brothers.” Lucky Roo countered, munching on meat.

“Doesn’t matter!”

“Idiot Captain… What would you have done in his place?!”

Oops… Ben raising his voice… Bad sign…

Thinking about it… “I would have searched for another way!” … If there were any….

“And what if there weren’t ways out of it?” Lucky Roo…

“Instead of being a complete idiot, go see him and free us of your sulking habit!!”

A kick to his rear and Shanks fell face-first in the wet dirt of Mihawk’s island.

When had they arrived…?

“You’re not allowed onboard until you’ve made peace with him!”

He could see the dark aura emanate from the ship.

Shanks ran for his life…

… Right into the door of the castle…

Stupid strength of his and stupid brats and stupid care!!

The door disappeared from his red, hurting face and he fell again on the marbled floor.

Now… Who had had the guts to do that to him? A Yonko?

Shanks slowly stood and came face-to-face with a grumpy, scowling, ready-to-kill-annoying-people-on-sight… Mihawk.

Not his lucky day, all right.

“Yo!” … Dumb way to get his body out of a sword’s aim.

The man glared at him. “What are you doing here.”

Uh-oh… Not welcoming _at all_. “Well, you weren’t on your vocation island anymore so we decided to check on you.”

He gained an arched brow. “You… decided to check on me…” Mihawk assumed a strange expression… One that Shanks feared was of pity. “I already have enough guests to question my home island as a tourist location. You better be quick.”

…

Mihawk had just let him in? Woah, were horses raining while puking rainbows…

Wait… guests..?

Shanks entered, letting the door close behind him.

Well… What was happening, exactly?

“They’re here for your same reason. He’s still sleeping, so get comfortable before _I_ get comfortable in my own home.”

He was beyond irritated… Well, how to blame him… He was a lone-wolf, to suddenly get so many guests because he’s taking care of Luffy…

WAIT!! NOO!! “I’m not here for the brat!”

Oh… Again the pitiful look… What for?!

“Of course you’re not… Just wait and behave, least I kick you out.”

Tché!

He sat on a free armchair, looking around. A blonde man with a curly eyebrow poured him some tea and the pirate nodded in thanks. There were four marines, of which an old man was killing him with a glare…

… Why was Garp there…

He swallowed some tea and ignored him. There were two beautiful ladies chatting with a robot, a skeleton and a reindeer.

….

Luffy’s crew, no doubts.

For his mind’s sanity, he ignored them, too. Trafalgar Law, a Shichibukai, with some of his crewmembers standing behind him, was playing chess with the female marine, that was stealing heated glares at a green-haired man wearing a kimono. The latter was bickering angrily with the blond smoker that was pouring tea around.

Then, he noticed two men sleeping on two couches, somewhat far from the others. It was dark, over there, but he recognized Fire-Fist Ace and Pipe-Demon Sabo, two pirates under Whitebeard’s wing with quite high bounties. What were those two doing there… Mihawk’s words resounded in his mind.

Benn had said something about an exchange of captives – Portgas was one – gone wrong and that the old Yonko had been framed guilty for it. Highly absurd, that was why he hadn’t bothered to hear all the story. He suddenly regretted it.

“Shanks?”

He blinked, lifting his gaze from the sleeping duo. Luffy was standing on the second-floor, the one Mihawk had banned him from, long ago. Thick bandages covered his entire chest, left naked by the open red shirt. He searched franticly for any other signs the brat was indeed alright and even let out a sigh of relief… Before a really ominous Haki reached him.

He knew this one. He’s always hated Shanks with a vengeance. He still didn’t know why, though…

The red-head slid his gaze to the right, where Luffy was being helped staying up by Marco the Phoenix. An arm was around the raven’s waist, hand gripping quite tightly. They were close…

…

Since when? Why?! How?!?

The glare he received only fuelled his sudden and inexplicable anger.

“Wha–”

**BONK!**

He fell face-first on the floor. Again. This was turning out to be his unluckiest day ever… He had recognized the punch.

Ben towered over him with his dark aura. “Damn it, Captain. You’re the farthest one in this room to demand explanations.” He nodded briefly to Mihawk, probably sorry for the intrusion. “Now, get your priorities straight!”

A kick to his rear sent him flying to the balustrade. At the last moment, he gripped it and flipped over to stand in front of the two. Somewhat pouting…

“Shanks…” He lifted his gaze, if not for the saddened tone… “Why are you here?” Well… “I thought you hated me.”

The two dark Haki in the room got heavier. But he wouldn’t have noticed if he was not trained to be always aware of his surroundings. His attention was almost completely taken by Luffy, that was looking at him like a child caught killing a marine. Utterly unbelievable… But it was a look that promptly killed any anger Shanks may have felt at the beginning, or after knowing of the broken promise.

He forgot all those and face-palmed, not wanting to look at him in the face anymore. “You broke our promise.” He managed to say. “I–”

“STAY AWAY FROM OUR BROTHER!!”

Shanks took a step back, avoiding the two boys that were previously sleeping. Both were glaring, even if they didn’t reach Marco’s level, and in a defensive stance. Luffy blinked, a small smile then gracing his lips. The red-head’s hands slid from his face to his hips.

“Would you all let me talk, at least once?” Oh, was he resembling a bothered mother now? “I was saying…” He looked at the raven. “… I understand…” It was costing him a lot to speak those words. “You did it for… them, I suppose…. I still don’t know why that feathery brat there is holding you like that and I’m pretty mad about it, because I thought you’d tell me things like these and everything about your lo–…”

A tray hit him square in the forehead and Shanks struggled to keep balance. Ben was fuming at him.

“Stay on topic, Captain…” The ‘or else’ was lingering in the air.

Ok, maybe he had started mumbling… Still! It didn’t mean his Vice was allowed to stop him in the middle of… No, _probably_ , he had done better stopping him… He coughed in his fisted hand.

“So… I understand… I think I know what happened, too, considering the prisoner is here, safe and sound, and claims to be your brother… To answer your question, I’m here to check on you… I have your Vivre Card, after all…”

He had a feeling that the last sentence was the most wrong thing to say, because the two dark Haki’s got overwhelmed by another one. One he knew _even better_.

“… You, too?”

Shanks shivered at the cold tone. He looked at Luffy and found the cold, sweet smile he’d seen on few occasions… The ones he had tried hard to forget.

“What’s with people taking strands of my hair without my permission?”

Even the two boys stood straighter and stepped back towards the Yonko. He saw with the tail of his eye that some, downstairs, were diverging their gazes, looking guilty. Shanks wanted to shrink.

Surprisingly, Marco came to their aid. “You’re going to reopen your wound, yoi. Let me take care of the nuisance.” … Or not.

Luffy blinked, looking at the pirate with a smile. “It’s fine. Once healthy, given how they want to make this island their new home, I’ll confiscate every piece of paper I find in their possession.”

The air got even colder. Some just stood from their seat… and fled. Shanks counted the marines, minus one that was smoking cigars, and Benn… Traitor. He had it.

The raven chuckled while Mihawk sighed, visibly relieved and more at ease. “Thanks, Luffy.”

He waved a hand. “It’s the least I can do. Uhm, guys?” All the strange looking ones, that had quietly kept doing their things, instantly gave him their attention. “Can you please go back to the Sunny? I’m okay now, just resting.”

“Then…” The orange-haired female talked. “Why don’t we go? Chopper can take care of you.”

“Not yet. I have a few things to take care of, before we depart.” He smiled. “Please?” Everyone, minus the green-haired, pouted. “Zoro, I’ll call you.”

Said green-haired nodded, took something from the couch he was sitting on and flipped it to his Captain. “Let’s go.”

In few minutes, they were all gone. Shanks looked at Mihawk, that was even _almost_ smiling. He nodded at Luffy, that leaned more on Marco while wearing his… Straw hat…

“You should still be resting, yoi.”

“Yeah, I will…” He smiled, then turned to Shanks. “Guess Benn has it, right?”

The pirate smirked. “You can’t have it.”

A Cheshire grin marred Luffy’s lips. “If you’re so sure…”

Shanks knew on instinct that, if they didn’t leave the island, he would have said goodbye to the Vivre Card…

“Uh.. Lu-nii…?” The blonde lifted a hand. “You should really go rest…”

“Sabo, Ace, can I ask you a favour?” Fire-fist and Pipe-Demon perked up and nodded. “Go to your Captain and tell him I’ll need to have a talk with him in some days.”

“We’ll go and come in an instant!”

“Ace, maybe you should stay on the Moby Dick for now… Mihawk is rather irritated… Please…”

They left with pouts and longing glances. The smile on Luffy’s lips was the softest he’d ever seen.

“I didn’t break my promise…” The raven suddenly said, gazing over Shanks. “I put it on hold.” The Yonko gaped. “I had important things to do first… Still have… You’ll see news, sooner or later…”

He turned, leaning on Marco, and started walking back. Shanks wasn’t done, though.

“Wait…” They turned, Marco with an annoyingly arched brow. “One last thing… Don’t ever do something so reckless again.”

He may not know what exactly happened, but the scorched, burned Vivre Card… had been enough.

Luffy pouted… but Marco smirked. “I’ll make sure of that.”

And the phoenix kissed Luffy passionately, before disappearing behind a corner with a blushing raven. Shanks was frozen on the spot, mouth agape and unblinking. For several minutes, he could only replay the image in his mind like an endless nightmare…

Someone had just kissed Luffy… The innocent, cute, protection-needing Luffy… And that one had been Marco, of all people… One that hated him… And had the guts to…

“YOU BASTARD!!!”

Mihawk kicked him out of the castle in no time.


	13. 13 – Match-maker

Marco was, quite frankly, completely _exhausted_. Granted, he couldn’t be happier. He had found Luffy, breathing, safe and protected by Mihawk, of all people. The problem wasn’t Luffy, per se…

But, the several people that had come demanding how were his conditions, frankly _were_ so...

At first, he hadn’t bothered to check who was in the large living room. He had politely excused his uninvited presence and asked for a private meeting with Luffy. That was all that had mattered to him. He had slept blissfully with the man cradled securely in his arms. He had imagined them as tight ropes.

The day after, however, he’d had to deal with the many guests the Shichibukai had been barely tolerating. He’d met Luffy’s crew, marvelling at how crazy it was. Seriously, a reindeer, a robot, a _skeleton_ … Utterly insane. But they were all amicable and funny to talk to. The Vice, a swordsman, pirate” _hunter_ , even offered him booze and a nice chat. None of them had demanded an explanation for chasing a convalescent Luffy. The respect that transpired from that notion, mainly for their Captain’s private life and business, made Marco strangely proud…

Garp was another matter altogether.

The old man, grandfather of his love interest, _had_ demanded an explanation after two full hours of glaring daggers at his back and nape. The pink-haired marine had interrupted an obvious punch to Marco’s face with a peace-inducing smile. After that display, the pirate had simply walked back to the infirmary, where Luffy had been still sleeping, with a bored expression.

Surprisingly, some days after, Smoker had been allowed into the room by Mihawk. The marine had wanted to know the full truth and check on the raven. Aside thanking him, notion that made Marco hopeful for Ace. The scene he’d seen when the two brothers had invaded the castle was enough to _know_ something was going on between the two. Simple and obvious. Seeing Luffy completely _disappear_ from his side had sent worrying chills down his spine, a replay of what had happened at the island had frozen him to the spot. But, seeing him only seconds after, downstairs, fussing over a crying Sabo… And the hug of the three had warmed his heart to the point of melting. He was happy for them and for the peace of heart of his… lover.

They were, after all. Lovers. And he’d had the impulse to show that to the annoying, irritating, infuriatingly strong, red-haired Yonko. Luffy may have had every type of tie to him he would want, they may have even been father and son, by _blood_ , he didn’t care. The raven was his, his only. Period.

Marco inhaled Luffy’s sweet scent from his hair, cuddled as they were in the infirmary. It was a real pity he couldn’t have his way with him for a week more. He’d asked Trafalgar, much to the raven’s embarrassment. Cute.

“If you start chewing on my hair, I’ll kick you out of the bed.”

The pirate chuckled lightly, tightening his hug. “You shouldn’t, yoi. Your wound is still healing.”

“Uhm… A week more.” Luffy lifted his head, pecking the other’s lips. “But, tomorrow, we’ll leave the island.”

Marco arched a brow, losing his chance to deepen the kiss. “Tomorrow?”

The other nodded. “I need to set my plan in motion.” He sat and dangled his legs on the side of the bed.

“Enlighten me.” The pirate lifted his torso with his elbows on the pillow.

Luffy smirked. “I just want to scare the shits out of some people~~.”

That tone reminded Marco of the green-haired crazy fan of his lover.

 

“I really don’t understand what’s gotten into you.” Izo was pouting, one hand petting the crow and the other writing a letter to Bartolomeo. “You’ve been acting strange since meeting them.”

Thatch huffed, crossing his hands and moving his weight from one leg to the other. “It’s nothing.”

“Yeah, and I’m a tip-tap dancer.”

“… That could actually be true…”

“Idiot cook!”

“Sons…”

They both looked up, coming face to face with their father.

“Yes, Oyaji?”

“What’s the problem?” He seemed worried.

“The cook is acting strange.”

“Am not.” Thatch pouted.

Whitebeard hummed, grinning slightly. “Worry not, Izo. Thatch is just jealous.”

It took the words some moments to sink in. Meanwhile, the tall man just sat at his chair and sipped some sake. Izo’s breath was trapped in his lungs, a light pink on his cheeks. Thatch was spluttering, blushing madly and glaring softly at the Captain.

“Wha… No! Me? Jealous?! Of what?!”

Izo folded the finished letter, gave it to the crow and disappeared through the door of the ship. Thatch looked at him, slightly gaping and wide-eyed.

“What kind of reaction was that?”

Whitebeard chuckled. “The kind one would expect from a happy man.”

Again, some moments passed before the cook took off after the cross-dresser. The Captain snickered to himself, happy for them and glad for how things were going to turn out. Three settled – Marco, Thatch, Izo – one still needed a little push. The raven currently headed his way, apparently. What day was this, the match-making one?

“Oyaji.” He saw Sabo subtly watching them from afar while reading a book.

“Ace, everything alright?”

The fire-user shrugged and flopped down on the armrest, legs crossed and head on the fist. “I’m… just a bit… struggling, I think…”

“Struggling?” What a strange choice of words. “What about?”

Ace blushed. “Uhm… About… Someone.”

For this son of his to come talking about it on his own… “What about this someone?”

The raven hugged his legs. “I…” He paused while Whitebeard saw Sabo smiling. “I… uhm… l-like… him… I think…”

The Yonko sharpened his earing to catch the whispered words. “So… He likes you back?”

The blush darkened visibly, but Ace didn’t freak out. “I don’t know… He is…”

“Why haven’t you asked him?”

This time, the other spluttered. “Wha… I can’t just do that!”

“I still don’t see the reason.”

Ace gaped, pouted, then turned away. Whitebeard held back a sigh. Being a father sure was hard. Before speaking again, he pondered his words through fully.

“I think you should take your risks, son. If he’s so important to you to make you feel unsecure, maybe he’s worth a try.”

Whitebeard felt a strange feeling of proudness mixed with sadness when Ace actually thought about it for some minutes. He stood, nodded with a small smile and left the ship. To where, he had only a suspicion. His kids were not really telling him everything, as of late…

Sabo came to him, then, with a smile of his own. “He’s made up his mind, in the end?”

“So it seems.” He gave a look up and down the blonde. “You’re coming to me for that kind of conversation, too?”

The man chuckled. “I have not those kinds of problem… Not yet, anyway.” He gave the Captain a dirty glance. “But, I wanted to ask something, actually…”

“I’m listening.”

“Is… Is Marco interested in Luffy?”

Oh… Though subject. “I’m not entirely sure…” Well, his son had his secrets after all. “Why do you ask?” And it seemed a bit of a problem, given how attached the brothers seemed to be to the marine brat.

“Well… Because Lu-nii seems… Interested, too.” He said, a tint of pink on his left cheek. “Ace has not yet noticed, I think, so Marco is safe for now… I’m only worried, I wouldn’t want my dear brother’s heart broken.”

Poor Marco… “I don’t think that will be the case.” He tried to save his first-mate.

Sabo just shrugged. He was about to say something else when the blue phoenix swiftly landed on deck, carrying one Monkey D Luffy. Marco morphed back, not letting go of the marine brat, just changing hold into bridal-style. The raven seemed to mind it a bit.

“I’m fine, let me down.” He crossed his hands.

The pirate just glanced at him once. “You’re still wounded, yoi.”

“The wound is not on my legs. I can walk.”

“Not by my standards.”

“… You’re a mother-hen.”

Marco frowned. “Maybe.”

Whitebeard arched a brow. Now, that was new. He grinned as Sabo made space for them.

“You missed Ace for some seconds.” The blonde smiled.

Luffy just shrugged with a knowing smirk. “If he’s with Smoker, I don’t mind.” He then nodded to Whitebeard. “I owe you and the witnesses an apology, I guess.” His eyes were holding sadness and guilt.

The pirate was silent for some seconds. “On the contrary, we need to thank you. You saved one of my sons, and probably more, by evading a sure-to-be war. You were ready to sacrifice yourself for your brother. Though dangerous, it’s not a thing to apologize for.”

“Maybe I’m apologizing to the wrong person.” Luffy tried with a smirk.

Whitebeard laughed loudly. “Brat. You sure have guts. What did you want to talk about?”

“Oh, yes…” He first glared at Marco, that _finally_ let him go with a sigh. “I wanted to ask you to let my crew stay with you for some days.”

The Captain arched an inquisitive brow. “That’s not a problem. We owe you, after all. But why?”

A smirk bloomed fully on the raven’s lips. “Because I need to go visit my superior, and very few will like it.”

 

Ace couldn’t believe he was _fidgeting_. It was an alien reaction for him. He’d experienced anxiousness, trepidation, excitement, all because of incoming fights… But the mix of what was overwhelming his frame at the point was totally unknown to him. It took place in his stomach, chest, legs, rather than in his mind and arms.

It almost made him turn around and go back to sulking in a corner. Maybe searching for Luffy and ask for advices, too… But he was quite sure his brother would have kicked him towards the ship and right into Smoker’s arms… Or let Marco do it, given the wound.

He wasn’t surprised the phoenix had a deep relationship with Luffy. They had shared a room on Moby, after all, and Marco was the one to discover the lies – though the word did not fit. Ace was not against it. If anyone could have his brother, better be one powerful and caring like Marco. That didn’t mean that if the pirate ever hurt Luffy he would escape unpunished. Absolutely. Sabo probably agreed on it.

… How had this feeling started, by the way? He’d met the marine for the first time in East Blue. His hate for the uniform had kicked in immediately, urging Ace to attack the threat and be done with it. His old crew had been waiting for him and Sabo to finish restocking.

They had fought. For an entire day. Neither had held back punches, kicks or haki. The fight had given Ace full occasions to observe, study and map the marine. A no-name, back then. He remembered clearly the thought that had crossed his mind, the same about his brother. A waste. A man wasted with the marines. That had been his first clue.

The fight had ended when Sabo had decided to put an end to it and flee. Obviously, Ace had been furious, but the reason… was different from the one he’d supplied to his brother. He still didn’t know how to interpret the clue, after all.

That happened on their second encounter. Sabo had witnessed that, too. Smoker, he’d learned the name from the newspaper, had been sitting in the bar they’d entered and had not seen him immediately. But after a minute or so, he’d looked up from some papers and his eyes had widened. Ace had expected an attack. All he’d got had been narrowed eyes and a curt nod, before the man turned again on the papers. The raven had just nodded back, dumbfounded and shocked. No attacks and even a show of respect? More than strange.

Sabo had looked at the exchange thoughtfully, deciding to grab his brother by the hat and bring him back aboard. They had sat in an empty room for one hour… Just for Ace to accept Sabo’s suspicions…

In the following days, Ace had had enough time to mull about whatever was moving in his stomach and why exactly he’d accepted the nod, answered back and not _attacked_ a _marine_ on _sight_. Given his hate, that had been eye-opening.

There had been several more encounters after that, all of which peaceful and respectful. Ace had started to believe in Sabo’s suspicions by the time of their tenth, more or less. Not because of his stubborn blushes. Nope. Neither because of his longing. Absolutely.

Anyway, Ace needed to man up and he pushed his legs to walk. Damn fidgets. He was currently strolling on the shore, minding the many shipwrecks and the broken wooden planks protruding from the sand. A camp appeared in front of him and he froze. Smoker was sitting on a trunk, facing a small bonfire. The usual two cigars were missing, and he had a thoughtful expression. Furrowed brows and narrowed eyes.

Ace suddenly felt the need to run away. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? He couldn’t just up and tell: ‘Hey there! I happen to like you, are you free?’… Impossible! Out of question! And a damn lame confession, too!

That was it. He turned around and silently walked away.

They were even marine and pirate, enemies. It couldn’t have worked.

The pang in his chest would subside in some days… Who was he fooling, a week at least.

Something gripped his right wrist and he instinctively lifted his other hand in a fist, aiming at whoever was stupid enough to attack him from behind. His punch ended in a puff of smoke. Ace blinked a few times before hurriedly retrieving his arm with a light blush. Smoker’s face reformed in the fog. The man had an arched brow and his lips were twitching upwards.

“I shouldn’t have taken you by surprise.”

Though said in complete innocence and naivety, Ace took the sentence in a total different light. Red light. The blush darkened impossibly, head ducking down to prevent it to be seen, and he tried to run away once more. But the grip on his wrist blocked his flee attempt and the strength of it made him bounce… face right into the marine’s chest.

His breath died in his throat and Ace pushed himself off the other. This time, an arm around his waist stopped his attempt and he instinctively looked up. He was slightly shocked to see a small spot tinted of pink on the other’s left cheek. It made him hopeful…

Painfully hopeful…

“Why are you here?”

Ace flinched and unlocked gazes, scared of what could have transpired through his eyes. “I was taking a walk…” He lied. “Uhm… Can you let me go?” He, a pirate, was in the clutches of a marine…

“What if I do not?”

The raven shivered at the strange tone. He looked up again and didn’t have time to register much. Bruised lips touched his own and his mind shut down. Wide-eyed, Ace felt numbness creep into his body. With the blush slightly decreasing, the pirate let his arm fall and his eyelids flutter down on his orbs. A warmth he hadn’t ever felt bloomed from his stomach through his entire body and he answered to the kiss shyly.

Smoker tightened his embrace on the other with his arm and let the exchange end. He surveyed the damage of his risk and smiled in his own way at seeing none. Ace’s blush was less than before, his eyes were half”lidded and betrayed a bit of confusion. His lips were parted and alluring. He resisted.

The marine let go of the grip on the wrist and lifted the hand to cup his cheek. “I’m glad he took you out of it alive.” He tried to pour what he felt about the whole thing, but he wasn’t sure he succeeded.

Ace blinked in disbelief. Relief, happiness, a bit of guilt, longing… He’d been able to decipher them in the words, even though he knew himself to be pretty oblivious. His mouth closed and opened twice, no sounds escaping.

Smoker lifted his other hand to cup the other cheek. He bended slightly forward and left another light kiss on the tempting lips.

“I’ve taken my risk, what’s your answer?”

Ace bit his lower lip, this time not looking down. “I… I like you… I think…” … Lame.

The raven tried to escape the man but found his waist trapped again by two strong and unrelenting arms. The following kiss was so much more passionate that Ace stopped fighting against the grip completely and surrendered. He pried his lips open and let the other dominate the battle between their tongues. Smoker was kind in his haste and Ace felt naked to that. It was strange to receive that sweet treatment by a marine, by a fierce man, by the one he had feelings for. Strange but… The happiness that seeped into him was beautiful.

“Smoker-san?”

A female voice made Ace pull back, although he was still securely cradled in the man’s arms. His own hands were on the other’s chest, grasping the jacket. He looked over the shoulder and saw the marine from the living room of the castle making his way towards them.

“Tonight, in the forest. Meet me.”

Smoker let Ace go after a quick kiss and turned around to intercept his subordinate. The raven just observed his retreating back with a light blush surviving on his cheeks. The marine had just… kissed him senselessly and… stolen a date…?

If it was a dream, he didn’t want it to end.


	14. 14 – Time to move

“Gurarararararara!!!”

Marco face-palmed, pitying himself and fearing what Luffy would have brought into his life. His Captain was enjoying every bit of the little mayhem the raven was about to cause. Sabo was pale.

“Lu… Lu-nii… Are you…”

“I’m sure.” Luffy’s smirk said it all. “I’m believed dead. It’s the least I can do to someone that has always treated me well.”

Sabo, defeated, slumped down on the floor. In his eyes was reflected the notion that he couldn’t do anything to stop his brother. Marco sighed, slipping his hand from his face.

“And how do you plan to come back unscathed?” He was not going to lose him again.

Luffy turned to him, smirk softening a bit. “With my power, of course.”

Oh, right. He still didn’t know what it was. Marco narrowed his eyes at Luffy, that smirked even more. He understood that literally no one could have stopped his lover and sighed, defeated.

“What’s going on?”

The pirate didn’t diverge his gaze to look at Ace. Luffy was still communicating something through his eyes. And he somewhat liked it.

“I want to forget it…” Sabo wailed.

Whitebeard just laughed more.

 

Law smirked when the island came into view. It had a softer edge, but he was enjoying the situation. It was like… A new way to play against the marines, though he wasn’t exactly their enemy… Being a Shichibukai and… With Cora-san’s legacy…

He was still a bit… confused and overwhelmed by how things had gone.

…

Who could expect a call by Mihawk, a pirate known for his dislike of people in general, because of a _marine_ wounded? And what were the chances that said marine would have been the one that was trying to finish Cora-san’s job?

Impossible.

Yet, that had been the case.

Impossible as it sounded…

Law had first met Monkey D Luffy on an island. He didn’t remember which, but the strange marine had simply smiled at him knowingly and left. He would have discarded the whole thing if the marine had paid his food and the barman had not noticed the exchange, pretending that Law paid in his stead. He was forced to, because he was still a small fly trying to escape Doflamingo’s radar and he had not wanted unneeded attention. Least of all by the Government, considering they had his photo because of those damn doctors that had refused him and Cora-san’s pleads. A wanted poster with his image of a child and quite the reward because he’d been _ill_ …

Back then, he hadn’t known the bastard was a marine. He’d been irked and irritated, because the bill had been damn high! And he’d been poor… So, he’d made his purpose to find the scoundrel and punish him soundly.

Little had Law known that he would have found the bill even less of what he really owed Luffy…

The second time they met, Luffy had been wearing his uniform of Captain and the reality of it all had dawned on him. A marine, a brat his same age, already at such a level, that had _recognized_ him, smiled at him, let him go and forced him to pay for his food… He had promptly filed that strangeness into craziness.

It had happened during a mayhem Kid the Proud – as per his personal way of naming idiots, especially after this event – had caused because someone had joked about his pirate name… Idiots. All of them, idiots. And not the joking way of calling them so. Kid had gone so far as to destroy the pirate’s crew and target then the whole city. At first, Law had cursed his luck at being on the same island, but he’d had to take that back.

Luffy had appeared with his crew, shielding the citizens and shooing away Kid with strength and Haki. Not Law. The marine, instead, had checked that the crew effectively vanished on the horizon and then regarded him with an arched brow and pensive eyes. Law had frozen, because he’d been completely cornered, and he’s understood the gap between their powers. Of course, if he’d attacked, the pirate would have given his all to at least escape. So, he had assumed a defensive stance.

Instead, he’d received only simple words. “Thank you for the food, next time it’s on me.”

That said, Luffy had left with his – strange, crazy, _impossible_ – crew.

After that, and Law had needed a lot to fully recover psychologically, he’d searched for info on the strange man. He’d discovered his name, his new promotion, his lineage… Honestly, Garp? That had actually explained some craziness. And the strength.

He’d not met the man until he had obtained his title as a Shichibukai. It had not been a ceremony, but almost all the members had been there and a lot of the elites of the marines. Apparently, Luffy had been promoted to Rear Admiral, too.

“Hey, I did say next time it was on me.” He had joked near the buffet, almost empty.

“Technically, it’s on the World Government.”

Luffy has shrugged, lifting a hand to be shaken. “I’m Luffy, welcome to the psychiatric hospital.”

Law had chuckled, shaking it. “Can I ask you something?” He’d later said, trying to take some food from the savaged table.

The marine had blinked and nodded, munching on some meat. “The first time we met, why didn’t you capture me?”

At that, Luffy smiled, stopping eating. “I will tell you, but not today. I’d say, though…” He looked around and leaned forward, whispering. “Try to stay around and you’ll see.”

And what had he seen…

He didn’t know how, he didn’t know when, he didn’t know why… He didn’t _want_ to know.

Two days later, he’d been called by a marine to go report at the Headquarters. Fortunately, he had stayed around, just in case. He had ordered the crew to stay put and gone alone to Sengoku’s office. A normal office, maybe wider than the usual, but neat and welcoming, even. Luffy had been waiting for him, sitting on the couch while reading the newspaper.

“So, Luffy, can you tell me what’s the problem?” Sengoku had skipped the pleasantries.

The marine had folded the journal, leaving it on the red sofa, stood and lifted a hand towards a big box that was near him. Law had not noticed it and briefly wondered if he had not been careful enough. Luffy swiftly opened it and looked at Sengoku.

“I think I’ve found something precious to you both.”

The Fleet Admiral had stood and knelt down to better see the contents. Law had simply approached. Sengoku’s eyes had widened, in the meantime.

“Where…”

“That doesn’t matter.” Luffy had answered matter-of-factly.

Sengoku had lifted his gaze and Law could have sworn he’d seen tears well in his eyes. “How did you know and why him?”

“Do you remember the mission I am trying to take care of?”

The older man had glanced once at Law before answering. “I do.”

“It led me to know about what happened and I found my way to those. Don’t you want to know what his ‘personal affairs’ were?”

Law had been feeling really confused, by then. Who had they been talking about? Sengoku had nodded curtly. Luffy had looked at Law and beckoned him forward. The pirate had obliged, finally able to look over the lid. His breath had left his lungs.

“Rosinante was going all over the sea to find a cure against the toxicity of the amber lead from Flevance.” Law had felt his knees touch the ground while his hand took the lighter that had always put Cora-san on fire. “He found it in the form of the Ope Ope no Mi.”

Law had taken the pack of cigarettes, too, lost in his memories. There were his clothes, bloody…

“He lied to me…” He suddenly said, overwhelmed. “He told me Doflamingo would have not killed him… Because they were brothers…” His voice had broken, arms shaken by shivers. “And yet… And yet…” Silent tears had lined his cheeks.

He’d heard a breath intake in front of him, but he’d found he couldn’t tear his gaze from the items in his hands. Several memories had fogged his sight and Law had felt his lips stretch into a small smile.

A hand had gripped his shoulder softly but strongly. “You are his legacy, Law. I know you want to carry on his mission.”

“You’re one of the children Doflamingo had taken under his wing, then… Trafalgar Law.”

Sengoku’s voice had been the thinnest bit strained as he’d stood to take his seat on the armchair behind the desk. Law had stood, noticing that the Fleet Admiral had a lipstick in his hand.

“What are you planning, Luffy?”

Law had pocketed the lighter and the pack, standing straight and looking at the marine. The latter had already been gazing over him with a soft smirk.

“But of course, to stop Mingo.”

Thinking again about it all, Law found everything mildly amusing. Crazy, yes, that was obvious, but funny, too. A Shichibukai actively working with the marines… And collaborating through Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, that since that event had been strangely condescending.

It had come as a shock the news of Luffy wounded and needing a doctor. Fortunately, Mihawk had found him, or the worst would have happened. True, this whole mess had postponed the plan, but no matter. They still had time. And Luffy had brothers to take care of.

“Torao!”

And there he came… “Luffy-ya… How many times do I have to tell you that it’s Trafalgar?” He refused to lift his gaze from the forgotten paperwork.

“Can’t count them, infinite?” The usual laugh filled his office in the submarine.

“Why are you here and not resting?”

“Because I’m booooreeeed….”

Ugh… “And what’s your intention?”

“Wanna talk?”

“Not really… Why are you not pranking the crew?” He dreaded the answer…

“Well… This place lacks a certain man I want to tease, so I’m lacking creativity.”

Law arched a brow and finally looked up. Luffy was laying on the yellow sofa in front of the desk, gaze on the ceiling and pout on his lips. An arm was lifted to trace invisible forms in the air.

“You mean the First Division Commander?”

“Yep.” Pink dust covered his cheeks.

That had been another surprise. “It’s strange for you to let someone through.” The pirate had even openly _asked_ when it would have been fine to have sex…

Luffy hummed. “I know… But… It was the other way around, too… He pierced through, without too much effort, I’d add.”

Oh… That was unprecedented. “I see…”

“I’m a bit scared, you know?”

That sentence created a strange dissonance. Luffy? Scared? In some universe? Impossible…

“Why?”

The marine sat, gaze lost on his lap. “If you have important things, you always fear the possible loss. It’s ingrained in our lives…”

“Especially in someone like you.” Law finished for him, that nodded. “Don’t you think you’re worrying too much?” Luffy bit his lip, but didn’t answer. “You’ve trapped the first mate of a Yonko, not a simple civilian. Your brothers are under a Yonko, too, _and_ watched over by your lover.” He paused. “You’re a worrywart, aren’t you?”

The marine sweat-dropped, smiling a bit awkwardly. “Maybe…”

“You joined the marines to protect your brothers when you could have simply taken them somewhere else and flee. You _are_ a worrywart that has trust issues.”

“Woah, Torao, you’re harsh…”

Law didn’t answer that for a while, crossing his arms on his chest. “I think you’re already feeling guilty enough, but I feel the need to tell you this, although Mihawk may have already told you… You should stop doing things alone and rely on other people. And I don’t mean the way you let your crewmembers decide with you or the way you let your subordinates in missions take on roles.” He sighed. “You have a lover now, trust him. With your brothers and with yourself.”

“That’s what Cora-san should have done, right? Find someone near to trust…”

“Don’t change the subject.” Though he was slightly right…

Luffy smiled apologetically. “Blame it on the job…”

“More on your personality, Luffy-ya.”

The other laughed. It was then that the distinctive sounds of the submarine emerging through the water surface reached them. Law stood and opened the door to the corridor, rapidly going to the kitchen. The marine followed him silently.

The Captain found Penguin and Bepo playing some cards’ game. The bear told him that the deck was clear, and Law went there to check on the situation. The Marine Headquarters towered above him as usual, unperturbed and mighty. But he wasn’t there to observe.

Law turned to Luffy. He was wearing his usual red, open, sleeveless jacket over black, tight pants. He was bare-footed, again… He ignored the detail.

“Are you ready?”

The marine simply sported his feral smirk. “It’s showtime.”


	15. 15 – Lovers

“Do not search for him, he deserves some rest.”

“Yes, Sir!”

The marine easily recognized the dismissive tone and left the office. Sengoku sighed, massaging his temples with one hand. He still couldn’t believe what had happened and his beliefs were beginning to shake because of that.

He’d always followed orders through and through, without questioning nor delaying them. The Reigning Justice needed to be accomplished and established, somehow, for the greater good. He’d always believed so… He’d always done what he had to.

But it was the second time someone he personally trained, and even nurtured into the man he’d become, had died. He’d felt breath leave his lungs, when he’d received the report. Twice the tragedy… Twice already too late. And for what?

Though similar to Rosinante’s situation, it had been also completely different. The elder boy had been spying on pirates while the Monkey had been captured… How, he still didn’t understand. Luffy could have escaped anytime, in his opinion. He could dodge a fatal blow even if wounded or cuffed with sea”stone, Sengoku knew that all too well. The raven was not one to give up on life so easily. He had this feeling that something was amiss…

Not considering Whitebeard was not the type of scum pirate that back”stabbed at any given moment. He’d never seen the old man do something that _hinted_ at malevolent. Especially if his sons were concerned.

But, maybe, Sengoku was simply being hopeful… Hopeful that it was all a lie, a well”built cover for Luffy to go into hiding… The raven didn’t like the job, he’d understood that much. He had joined because of some pact with Garp, that believed his nephew to be safe among the marines. In the Fleet Admiral’s opinion, it was the opposite…

There were a lot of people in their ranks that would have killed him on sight if they had known his lineage… Akainu was the cruellest one. He didn’t want to suspect of an Admiral without proofs, based only on suspicions, but… The whole ordeal just stank to him and Sengoku’s duty was to uncover and show the truth, to administer the Reigning Justice he worshipped.

If doing that meant expel one of the strongest… He would have done it. Without thinking about it twice. But, he needed solid proofs.

A low commotion reached his ears through the window. Sengoku ignored his subordinates and looked down on the desk without focus, remembering how the majority of them had taken the news.

Though Luffy was…. Had been one to wreak havoc everywhere he went, the raven was not hated. On the contrary, most of the marines, even the new recruits that had only heard of him, held the man in high regards. Because of his deeds, because he was always sunny and friendly, because he randomly was wise… _Had been_.

He was dead… According to the report.

…

Why couldn’t he simply accept it? With Rosinante, it had been simpler, even though without having a body and only sightings of his corpse being dragged by Doflamingo’s crewmembers. This time, he just didn’t seem keen on accepting it. It was not a simple matter of pain, because he wasn’t feeling much. Instead, he felt empty, blank, a white sheet of paper that couldn’t be printed on, almost magically.

But it was not magic. It was his inability to face the fact, at the moment. His unpreparedness to the possibility of it happening… Because, honestly, Luffy dying? It was just out of the world.

The commotion had grown, while he dealt with his mental debate on what to do. That had been the incipit of it all, deciding how to act about it. The sounds were in the corridor in front of his office, he could tell. Sengoku didn’t feel like checking on it and sighed, surrendering at doing paperwork.

As he read carefully a report about a certain red-haired Yonko stopping at a peculiar island owned by a Shicibukai, the door to his room opened without a knock. The man arched an irritated brow at the obvious lack of politeness and respect, nostalgic as those were trademarks of a certain marine, and slowly lifted his gaze to see who had the galls to do that.

Apparently, he was hallucinating.

“Yo, Senny, have you missed me?”

A detailed hallucination, even. Luffy was smiling brightly at him with fisted hands on his sides. His usual red jacket was left open, revealing white bandages neatly covering his chest. Near him was Trafalgar Law… The only pirate he was willing to close an eye on, as of lately.

“I must be tired.” He said, returning to the report.

The apparition shrugged and approached the desk, putting his hands on the surface. “I’m not an hallucination, Senny. I’m very much alive and I’d appreciate not being treated like a ghost.”

Several heads peaked from the corridor through the doorframe, wide eyes blinking and astonished. Trafalgar saw fit to close the door and lean on it. Sengoku tiredly looked again at Luffy, trying to understand what was happening.

If it was not a dream, the raven was alive, kicking and equally irritating. If it had been a dream, the Fleet Admiral would have willed the other to be respectful. He couldn’t.

“You’re in shock, so I will help you and give you this.” Luffy took folded, slightly ruined papers from the pocket of his pants and undisclosed them on the desk. “It’s my report on the exchange between me and Portgas D Ace. There’s also my resignation paper, because this is my last job as a marine.” Sengoku blinked, not really succeeding in following the one-sided conversation. “It’s been fun till now, but I can’t stay anymore. My brothers are being clingy and my lover even more, so I need to stay by their sides and I think I deserve to achieve my original objective.” He smiled, softly this time. “Thank you and good luck in catching me!”

Sengoku opened his mouth, closed it and looked at the papers. Was he really supposed to take all of this shit like it was nothing? Was he going to try and take the man back into the ranks?... Had he the right to?

He sighed, a forgotten sadness overwhelming his features. When he talked, his voice was just that bit broken.

“I guess this is all, then, Rear Admiral. You can go, good luck in achieving your dream.”

Luffy just smirked. “You just wished good luck to a pirate into finding the One Piece, you know?”

Sengoku didn’t have time to register those words. Someone entered through his window in a blur of blue flames, circled the raven’s waist with a golden chain and fled with him. He stood, worriedly looking outside and ready for confrontation. Someone interrupted his doings.

“That’s his lover.” Law smiled. “Marco-ya must be really hasty today. The final week ended yesterday, after all.”

Sengoku had his mind unusually full of information he found hard to digest. The papers laying on the desk were going to cause him more than a headache.

 

“… You just kidnapped me from the Fleet Admiral’s office?”

A soft croo reached Luffy’s ears over the sound of the wind and he pouted, crossing his arms. Marco was rapidly cutting the air, high in the sky. The island of the Headquarters had already vanished on the horizon.

“Are you planning on making me fall? I should warn you that, if I die, I’m going to haunt you and your crew until the end of time.”

The croo he heard was more pitched, as if a snort or a short laugh.

“I wouldn’t laugh about it, I can be pretty vengeful.”

Marco didn’t answer, but his brows hinted at playfulness. Luffy just settled to wait for what was to come… He couldn’t have been more excited about it.

After half-an-hour of flight, during which Marco kept on fake-slipping his grip on Luffy, a boat came in sight. It was little, seemed comfy and the waves were lulling it softly. The newly-announced pirate – in the office of the Fleet Admiral nonetheless – was dropped with care on the free surface. He sighed at the security that enveloped him when two strong arms circled his waist from behind. A warm breath ghosted on his skin and he lifted a hand to caress the blonde hair of the pirate.

Marco was downright losing every bit of his patience. Maybe he had already lost it. Some days prior, even. He was just… fed up. With all the planning, with all the problems and with all the nuisances his lover brought about around himself. Like, give him a break. He only wanted Luffy for himself, one damn day, _only his_.

….

Well, no, maybe… ‘For all the eternity’ was more accurate.

“Possessive, Marco…”

Luffy’s whisper was breathless. Probably because Marco had unconsciously been leaving light kisses and red marks on his neck and shoulder. He smirked at the signs that proved the other was _his_ and understood.

“Is that a problem, yoi?”

The brunette chuckled and turned in the embrace. He sneaked his arms on Marco’s shoulders and played with his hair. A playful smirk was on his lips… but his eyes were glazed with something that aroused the phoenix.

“What do you think?” Luffy placed a kiss at the corner of his lips.

“Never one to just say things clearly…”

“You want me to?”

Marco thought about it. He grabbed the other’s waist and lifted him up. Luffy giggled, unmoving. The pirate kicked the door to the room open and closed it in the same fashion. The darkness was not full, thanks to the sunrays filtering through the curtains covering the only window. He ignored the kitchen and opened another door to the bedroom.

“I’m not sure…”

Luffy was left to fall on the bed. The sheets were a light shade of black and another window let some light in the room. Not that both were interested in anything else than each other, but the dim light sure heightened the atmosphere.

The brunette smirked at the man towering over him, a hand on his hip. He licked his lips and held his torso up with his elbows. His eyes roamed the body he had desired for a long week – not exactly, a bit more than that… – and he felt more aroused than ever.

Luffy suddenly grabbed the other’s sash and pulled him down. Marco found himself straddled by an alluring-looking raven. He had a light blush on his cheeks that made him even more ready and _willing_ to be ravished. His blood ran south and the raven brushed his butt on the visible tent in his pants. Marco hissed.

The pirate grabbed his wrists and brought him down to kiss him demandingly. The submitted moan reached his ears and he broke their lips apart. Both their breaths were a bit laboured.

“Maybe not, yoi.” He continued, fingering the other’s unnervingly tight pants that left little to the imagination.

Marco was surprised at the surge of possessiveness that cursed in his veins just at the thought that someone else could have seen what he was about to see… Could have touched what he wanted to mark… Could have claimed what was bound to be _his_.

With a growl, the pirate locked gazes with the other and Luffy’s eyes widened a fraction. He was sure a lot was passing through his orbs to make his lover stop moving. He hoped _every bit_ of what he was feeling was clear to see as water and gave him an open-eyed, chaste kiss.

Luffy smiled in it and let his eyelids flutter close. He opened his mouth and bit down the other’s lower lip, making Marco retaliate. He flipped them over and ground their arousals, earning a muffled moan.

That wasn’t allowed, though.

The pirate bit harshly his shoulder and brushed his front on the other again. This time, the moan came out freely, and he liked it. More than he was ready to admit.

“Maybe I like you the way you are.” He continued the conversation, though his breath was slightly failing him and his voice was husky.

The confused hum he received was enough to understand Luffy was not interested in talking anymore. When he took hold of his hand and started _sucking_ … while looking at him with lustful and half-lidded eyes that… _begged_ for him to get going… Marco was sure he himself wasn’t, either.

The pirate just groaned and resumed leaving marks on the shoulders and neck. Undressing both with only one hand – because he was _not_ going to stop Luffy from sucking the other one – was difficult, but he managed and _finally_ got them both out of the trousers.

He smirked at the blush when his hand brought down the boxers. Marco licked his lips and went down to lick… something else. That got Luffy to lose focus on the sucking… Well, his fingers were coated enough, so he brought them down and circled the hole. The moans that were escaping his mouth were broken by a gasp when he pushed in two fingers. He kissed him on the tear that escaped his eyes and quickly made him adjust to the intrusion.

“This is your first, Luffy?”

The raven breathed in and out twice. “Of course… _You_ are the first…”

Marco had to take his words back… The honest and open Luffy was good, too. He smiled and left light kisses on his lips.

“I’m sorry, yoi, I’ll be gentler.”

Two arms circled his torso beneath his armpits in a loose hug. “Don’t worry and go on… I’m not made of glass… And my patience is wearing thin.”

Marco had to stop and breathe to not just plunge into the other at the sexy, breathless, lustful and _wanting_ tone. Just blown in his ear. That was being nibbled and played with by alluring lips.

Instead, he focused even more on preparing him, adding a third finger. The flinch was subtle, but it made him regain some calmness. He bit the crook of his neck and pushed his limbs a bit deeper, prodding and searching for…

A loud moan that made Luffy arch his back was the signal for Marco to take away his fingers. The raven whimpered at the loss, pouting somewhat. Marco arched a brow and didn’t move. The pout increased. He still stayed firm in his spot.

Luffy dropped the pout and scowled. His hands shot forward and grabbed the pirate’s boxers, bringing them down on his knees. Marco couldn’t help the smirk creeping on his lips. The raven let the clothe go, a light blush on his cheeks, and lifted his legs to circle the pirate’s waist.

He was surprised by such boldness, but he shouldn’t have been. Plus, it was not like he had the time to ponder on it. The feeling of Luffy’s hole on the tip of his member was enough to make him do exactly what the other wanted.

Marco pushed his shaft inside and felt the constricted walls envelope his erection. It was pure bliss. He bended forward to kiss Luffy and make him relax. He caressed his waist, arms, butt, thighs. In the end, when the other breathed more regularly, Marco grabbed his hips and waited, though it was becoming impossible. The heat around him was maddening.

Luffy sighed, tears welled in his eyes, and nodded, tightening his legs’ hold on the other’s waist. Marco decided that being any slower was not tolerable, for both sanities. He swiftly pulled back and slammed in, making the other moan louder and himself groan with gritted teeth.

It was just so intense and… filling and… crazy and… _satisfying_ … Marco lost every grip he had on reality. The sounds of the waves were tuned out for moans. The sun drowning in the sea was ignored to drink thirstily Luffy’s sweating body. The cooling down air was unaffecting because the heat between them was just stronger…

Marco’s pace quickened impossibly with each push and stroke he gave the raven, and Luffy found his moans bordering on screams of pure pleasure. He was lost, as was the pirate in his arms, and both were almost at their limits…

They came together, the other’s name on their tongues, blank spots dancing in their sights and breaths completely messed up. Marco collapsed on the man’s chest, trying to regain a bit of composure. He was… He didn’t know how to name it.

Sweaty soft fingers started brushing his hair and caressing his scalp. He sighed at the beautiful sensation and closed his eyes, not really wanting to move.

“Why haven’t we done this before?” Luffy breathed in a whisper.

Marco smirked. “Because Akainu was in the way, yoi.”

“Ah, right…” The fingers got a bit less soft.

The pirate lifted half his weight with the elbows and looked at Luffy. He had a little pout on his lips, but the satisfaction was palpable… Made him want to start from the beginning, to make his lover forget about everyone but him…

“You’ve made me egoistic, Luffy.”

The raven arched a brow. “Really… That sounds impossible, though.”

“You did, yoi.”

Marco lifted his whole body, letting his manhood leave the hot, comforting cavern he had abused. Luffy sighed at the loss and brought him down to cuddle in his chest.

“Who said I was done?”

“Not me… But I’m a bit tired…”

The phoenix smiled and hugged him tightly, caressing his hair. “Sleep, then. You’re not going anywhere, this time.”

“… You mean to say I’m your captive all over again?”

“I’d say ‘for real, this time’.” And Marco just bit him again, feeling possessive all the more.


	16. 16 – Mayhem

**ADMIRAL AKAINU LEAVES THE MARINE CO.**

**UNKNOWN THE REASON FOS SUCH A DEVASTATING NEWS**

 

[…] _… all the great things the Admiral has done to ensure citizens’ safety. So, it comes as a shock that the Fleet Admiral Sengoku has dismissed Akainu Sakazuki two weeks ago. As of now, the reasons behind such a drastic action are unknown. There have been several rumours, but the most believable would be the failure of the exchange between the pirate Portgas D Ace, Second Division Commander of Whitebeard’s crew, and the marine Monkey D Luffy, the late Rear Admiral, killed before he could be rescued._

_Several people, mourning…_ […]

 

Luffy folded the month-old newspaper and scratched his chin. That was sure to come bite his ass, sooner or later. As he knew Akainu, the man was not one to simply retreat, not if ‘Absolute Justice’ was involved. No, he would retaliate, instead… Problem was, how did he recognize the signs of that? The ex-marine had obviously had a hidden agenda, since the beginning, and it probably centred everything on taking Senny’s position. At the moment, the closest to it was Aokiji, given Sakazuki’s desire to be seen as childish.

When he’d met the two for the first time, he’d almost envisioned the Armageddon that would ensue, should the two fight over the title. The chessboard had been flipped, though. It was not his complete fault, he just did what he joined the marines to do, nothing more, nothing less.

He massaged his forehead with a silent sigh. With Sabo in the protective hands of Whitebeard, Ace in the possessive clutches of Smoker – he was happy for both, the marine kept stealing his brother whenever he was up for a… ‘visit’ – and his crew again at his side, on the Sunny, Luffy couldn’t have been more relaxed. A certain pirate was also helping in that, under the covers of some bed whenever he came to visit or the raven himself decided he wanted a meeting. It didn’t revolve only around sex, he was glad about that, because Marco, at times, simply hugged him, stayed for some hours and left with a kiss.

It was warm, embarrassing at some points, but welcome. He truly felt treasured and Luffy returned the affection with… with something he wasn’t sure could be called love, yet. But it was the nearest he had ever been to it and… to his personal happiness.

So, the raven simply leaned back in the sudden embrace and sighed, contented. Two arms circled his waist from behind and Luffy started caressing the hands softly, closing his eyes. A kiss was left on his neck, not to ignite him but as a greeting, and he smiled.

“Hello to you, too.”

“No chances I can sneak on you, yoi?”

“None.” Luffy turned to meet the other’s lips in a chaste kiss and opened his eyes. “Why the visit?”

Marco leaned his head on the man’s shoulder, not breaking the lock of their gazes. “I’ve just dropped Ace on an island.” His lips curled in something near displeasure.

“You still don’t like Smoker?”

He shrugged, as much as he could in that position. “Not really, yoi.”

“Mother-hen.”

“Like you’re any different.” He gazed over the newspaper. “You’re still worried about him?”

“As if you’re not.” He shot, but sighed. “He’ll come back, I know. He’s never been one to step down easily. What he deems just, he pursues.”

Marco hummed, closing his eyes and relaxing. “No news?”

“Only strange movements in the New World… Nothing too worrying and probably unrelated to him. Akainu will take some more time to come, but he will.”

The pirate caught his chin and turned his head to meet him in another kiss. “No use worrying about it so soon, then.”

Luffy closed his eyes in the second, more passionate kiss. Their tongues licked and teased each other before someone cleared their throat. Marco detached while the raven sighed and cuddled in the embrace, looking at the distraction.

“Captain, we’ve reached Sabaody.” Zoro left the kitchen right after saying those words.

Marco huffed. “I was already surprised by what you did to Sengoku, yoi, but this… Are you sure?”

Luffy turned in the embrace and straddled the pirate, kissing him once. “I need Doflamingo’s attention if I want to help Law. That’s the last thing I will do that’s linked to my career as a marine.” He kissed his cheek when the other frowned. “He already has his eyes on me, a little push and he’ll contact me.”

Marco gripped his sides and stared. “You’re trying to distract me.” He muttered. “Again.”

The other shrugged with a badly concealed smirk. “Professional deformation.”

“Right…” Marco sighed mockingly. “So, what’s the plan?”

Luffy leaned his head on the pirate’s shoulder. “Shake the world a bit more. A taste of what’s to come.” His lips slowly stretched into a malicious smirk.

“I had a suspicion, yoi… But, in details?”

He pouted. “You’re no fun!”

Marco suddenly feared for the entire island’s sanity.

 

He knew his lover was crazy, he’d noticed since their first meeting on that pirate ship with painted walls and flag. There was no way such a devoted, planning prankster was right in the head, sometimes. Marco had resigned himself to it, anyway, because he loved that side of Luffy, too… Though he would never _ever_ admit it to the idiot cook and his team of pranksters – that had requested the raven to _teach_ them. Useless to say, the phoenix had done his best to prevent any unsupervised meeting, for his own mental stability. God forbid Luffy successfully taught them the right ways to hide one’s tracks, the kitchen would be out of helpers and the ship would start to smell.

So, he shouldn’t have been that surprised by what Luffy was doing on Sabaody to attract a Shichibukai’s attention – and the whole world’s, considering there had been an ongoing event when he struck. But he was. _Damn_ if he was!

Marco sighed, forehead held by one hand while the other took a bottle of something alcoholic the barman had chosen for him. His face might have let on what was going through his mind, because the man was eyeing him worriedly. The video Den Den Mushi on the wall behind the counter of the bar was loud because of the frantic chromist trying to follow with words what was happening in Sabaody’s park.

The event, awaited _worldwide_ and followed by almost _everyone_ on the planet, was a concert. The King of Soul. The skeleton on Luffy’s crew. Brook was a worldwide known superstar. That alone had been a shock. True, he was always playing some instrument onboard, but he’d thought it was only a hobby, something for the crew alone. He should have listened more carefully to Izo’s fangirling. … No, _never_.

He had to admit the skeleton was good and his songs had that strange pull, varying in emotions caused in the listeners, that explained the worldwide interest. The ones that had a ticket had been overly lucky. There had been no sale, they had been chosen randomly by the singer himself in the last month… And it stank, in Marco’s opinion.

Midway through, Brook had finished playing his song, one about loss and sadness that had brought the public to tears – some in the bar were crying, too –, and had bowed deeply.

“I apologize, dear fans.” Everyone had quieted down impossibly. “But this concert has to end here and now.” No chorus of denial or anger had risen. “I have an announce to make.” Marco had felt then eagerness even in the bar. “I fear I have retired earlier this month from my career of singing.” At that, gasps of shocks had been heard everywhere. “It’s something I’m not doing with a light heart, but it must be done.” Brook had then spread his arms wide. “I, too, have an ambition, a desire.” The phoenix had noticed a movement on the platform, something raising. “To achieve that, I began following a man, I called him Boss, I helped him. I was a marine.”

As people had showed their thunder-struck expressions, the marines that had been checking for crowd-control had started to make their way to the platform. The highest in rank had stopped right in front of it, Brook fallen completely silent and his usual shadow of a smile gone.

“Brook, King of Soul, you’ve just been declared an outlaw and shall be instantly detained.”

“Ah, I expected that.” The crowd had started fighting against the marines, begging for them to let the singer be. “But, you see, I’m not finished.” The thing lifting from the platform rose completely. “I wanted you to know that I’m a pirate now, under the Captain Monkey D Luffy.”

Everything went deadly still. Marco drank one third of the bottle and cursed his inability to get drunk. The marines stood frozen to their spots, jaws dropping. The bystanders were a bit less shocked, but someone seemed relieved.

“He’s alive!” A man shouted in the bar. “What the fuck is the Government feeding us?!”

Luffy was wearing his black, tight leather pants and a red undershirt half-buttoned. The straw-hat was nowhere in sight, a sign he was still not following his true ambition. Marco sighed again at that.

The raven walked to Brook and took the offered mic. “Yes, I’m alive.” He said with a smirk and gleaming eyes. “If you still believe what I do always has a good purpose, then, please, follow me. It is not thanks to luck that each of you is here.” He regarded the marine that had announced Brook as an outlaw. “Even you.” He _knew_ it.

The two on the platform jumped to the entrance of the amusement park and motioned to come. As one entity, the crowd did so. The marines forgot they were supposed to arrest the skeleton, probably confused because Luffy had been higher in rank. The reporters followed, too.

Along the way, the crew was neatly leading other little groups of men and women that instantly mixed with the bigger one. Marco noticed they were about to pass by his bar and suddenly understood why Luffy had asked him to choose that one. He had given him a choice, sneaky planner. His answer was obvious, the raven could have just asked.

Marco payed for the bottle, took it and stood to go outside. A voice stopped his tracks, though.

“Wait, isn’t that Whitebeard’s crewmate?!”

Everyone turned to him and Marco eyed them with an arched brow. “And?”

The man that had talked flinched. “I… He’s alive, what _happened_?”

“Definitely not what others reported, yoi.” He had no interest in defending himself or the crew.

So, he left. Luffy was right in front of him, pleased smirk in place. It was the one he wore when something went as he’d planned.

“You could have asked me directly.”

“And what’s the fun in that?”

“Damn entertainment of yours, yoi.”

The raven chuckled and started walking again, lifting his hand to the road in a way to welcome him to the moving snake of people. Said crowd started talking about his presence, doubting what the newspaper had reported. The speaker he’d heard in the bar was shocked and immediately began formulating hypothesis’ about what had really happened the day of the exchange. Had it all been staged? Had Garp the Hero’s grandson always been allied with Whitebeard? This one, she instantly thought impossible. What was, then, the relationship between Marco the Phoenix and Monkey D Luffy? _If only she knew…_

Slowly, to allow everyone to follow, they reached Groove 1. The Auction House. Marco sighed and drank another third of the rum. Luffy snickered before kicking down the main door. The big theatre-like room was filled to the brim. Rich men, pirates, some marines, Tenryuubito… Everyone turned to them with varying grades of shock and arrogant anger. Before anyone could do anything – the marines were shell-shocked and frozen by seeing Luffy – men and women of different races, led by Zoro and Sanji, started to pour out of the side-doors on the stage, where the auctioneer panicked.

Some people from the following crowd took few, confused steps forward, hands covering their agape mouths. They then ran to the stage, met midway by someone hugging them back.

Ah, that was the reason. “I don’t even want to know how you managed to gather such intel, yoi.” He finished the bottle, throwing it in a bin as people stormed inside. “But I’m impressed.” The marines, too.

“Should I feel proud, then?” Zoro and Sanji apprehended the Tenryuubito, that had tried gunning down the released prisoners.

Marco reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. “You should be ready for tonight, you’re paying me dearly for this mess.”

Luffy had the guts to chuckle. “That’s not a ‘punishment’, you know?”

He groaned. “Stop it, yoi. More importantly…” He ignored the flash of a camera behind them. “Now what?”

Luffy smiled while turning to the cameramen. “We declare war against the World Government.” He winked at him, that took another picture.

Marco wanted another bottle to drown his misery.

 

The day after, the newspaper was almost entirely dedicated to what Luffy had caused in Sabaody. It seemed as if the director had been torn on which photo to show first. Like, he had: the King of Soul’s concert; Monkey D Luffy alive; his punch to a Tenryuubito; families reuniting with their lost ones. He had done a collage occupying the entirety of the first page with little explanation.

Whitebeard laughed loudly. Marco accepted the bottle of wine offered by Thatch and sat on the floor. Izo put away the newspaper, already read thrice, and took the Black Journal, avidly reading it. Ace and Sabo grabbed the first one and re-checked everything with twin smirks.

He was starting to feel too old for this shit.

… Well, the reward was delicious, so he would struggle.

“What’s the brat planning now?”

Marco looked at his Captain, that seemed genuinely entertained. “More mayhem, yoi. To help the Law guy.”

“Bartolomeo is not happy you’re his lover, by the way.” Izo absently reported.

“And I’m concerned about his happiness.” He answered sarcastically. “Send him a message, Luffy wants to act in the shadows for a month or so, yoi. No info on his whereabouts… He’s a damn stalker.”

“What has he done this time?” Sabo massaged his forehead.

Marco drank. “We flew to a deserted island to relax, he tracked us down with the vivre card – I burned it, but I know he has _spares_ – and irked both of us with fawning and fanboying, yoi. I’ll kill him someday.”

“Not gonna deny you that right.” Luffy landed on deck with grace and a wide smirk, though it was hiding some irritation. “He can wipe out every inch of my patience.”

Marco looked over the railing to see the big dragon-face of the Sea King. He still couldn’t believe that enormous creature let the raven use him as a mean of transport.

Luffy hugged back Ace and Sabo, that demanded the usual – yes, it had become so – attention. Children. He stood, offering the bottle to his lover, free again. The other accepted it, drinking some. Izo was observing him with his gleaming eyes, but they were also softer. The raven’s presence was dulling his urge to fangirl, it seemed. Whitebeard welcomed him as he would to a son, which Luffy never ceased to frown at.

“Why the visit?” Marco asked.

“I wanted to tell you the peacock has taken the bait. If you really want to come to me, then you’ll have to pass through the main entrance of a King’s Palace.”

The phoenix snorted. “Dressrosa?”

Luffy smirked. “Prepare to see it completely _renovated_.”

“… Make it short, yoi.”

The raven thought about it. “Fine, I’ll try to finish it in a day.”

Marco face-palmed. “Not _that_ short. Just what are you planning this time…”

“Well, I’ve heard a lot of rumours…” He hummed, making Whitebeard laugh. “I’m going to verify them and pay my debt to Law, then overthrow the peacock and finally depart for my adventure.” He surmised as if he was talking about a recipe. “Starting with a Yonko.” Marco lifted his gaze to see Luffy gaze-fighting his Captain. “Pity I have to choose a nymphomaniac.”

Pops smirked. “She may even be interested in you.” He glanced at his first son.

The pirate scowled. “Do I have to worry?”

Luffy answered by kissing him on the lips, arms circling his neck. Ace diverged his gaze with a blush. Sabo closed his eyes with a sigh. Izo glanced at Thatch with a pout, the cook was distracted by looking down at a sheet of paper. Marco narrowed his gaze when his lover detached and his own arms caught the other’s waist.

“You’re trying to distract me again, yoi.”

“And why are you letting me?”

“Because you’re finding more creative ways to do that, I won’t stop you from _experimenting_.”

Sabo scoffed, arms flying in the air over his head. Ace became a tomato, like Izo. Whitebeard laughed in a softer way… had he embarrassed his father? There was black dust on the page in the cook’s hands. Marco instantly sent a burst of flames in it direction, disintegrating it. Thatch gasped and wailed.

“Damn you!! That was _gold_!!!”

“Pranksters must help each other.” Luffy snickered.

“He can’t evoke a clone made of dust, so he’s not at your level.” _Fortunately for me._

“I’ve not always had this power, I know a few tricks he could use. Like–“

When Marco blocked the flux of advices with his mouth, he felt the smirk underneath and cursed Luffy’s ability to make him do exactly what the raven wanted. Thankfully, it was something Marco wanted, too… Most of the times. At the whistles at their making-out in the middle of the day and on the deck, the pirate decided to move it – discretely was not an option anymore – to his room. See? An outcome he definitely liked.

… If Big Mom only tried to lay a hand on his lover, Marco would have been the one to cut her head off.

Thinking about it… Doflamingo was straight… right?

He groaned as he closed the door to his room and let the other fall on his bed. “You’re going to be my end, Luffy.” His voice was husky and low.

A foot touched his waist as the raven smirked playfully. “And you mine.”

More than foreboding of hardships, it seemed a promise of always being there for one another.

Marco couldn’t have felt happier. Luffy neither.


End file.
